Into Chaos
by poeticgrace
Summary: When a hotel lobby is taken under siege, eight people are led into chaos. Dilu, Luckily, Scrubs, Lik.
1. Chapter 1

It had been four hours since gunmen had stormed the Metrocourt, enclosing a handful of Port Charles' favorite residents in the lavish lobby of the plush hotel. Dillon Quartermaine had been upstairs at the time, arguing with girlfriend of several years. It had been more out of habit than anything, going through the motions of pretending to care about something that didn't really matter anymore. She had spouted her usual line, trying to declare her independence. The truth was, she knew she had already lost him. She had lost him the summer before to the troubled blonde Spencer girl, and had never been able to get him back.

As soon as the elevators had become jammed, Dillon immediately feared the worst. Anyone who had been in Port Charles a few years ago couldn't help but remember the fire at his family's hotel. And if they hadn't remembered, his mother had reminded them with her panicked rant to Edward and Monica. When Lucky had shown up and explained the situation, trying to find out whether Elizabeth had been inside, Dillon felt his world stop.

"Lulu is in there," he whispered to himself, fear pulsating through his body. Tracy exchanged a look with her son, a similar thought having crossed her mind. "Lucky, Lulu is in there."

The handsome detective looked at him with a stricken face. Not only were his wife inside but also his sister, brother and best friend. Suddenly, so much more was at stake. "We're going to get them out," he said aloud, trying to reassure everyone. He was trying to make himself believe it as much as everyone else. "I have to get them out."

"I want to go in," Dillon muttered, raking his fingers through his hair. "I have to get her out of there. I shouldn't have even let her go down there. I should have gone down myself."

"It's not your fault," Tracy murmured, resting her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. She could see the fear in his eyes. "Lulu is a fighter. She is going to get through this."

"You don't know that," Monica sneered, her own thoughts focused on Alan.

"Yes, I do," Tracy replied, praying that she was right. She knew that Lulu would do everything in her power to make it through, but even Tracy wasn't sure that it would be enough.

"She has to," Dillon said. Life without Lulu was unimaginable to him. He couldn't stand the thought of losing her. Not now, not after everything that they had been through.

Lucky looked between the mother and son, taken aback by how worried they were about his little sister. "My dad is back in town, Tracy. Someone should tell him once you guys get out of here."

"I'll do it," she volunteered, patting her cell phone in her clutch purse.

"Lucky, we have to get them out of here now," Cruz called as he helped Edward and Monica filed into the stairwell. Tracy was next with Dillon and Lucky following closely behind.

Half way down, Dillon stopped Lucky. Once the others were a flight ahead of them, he looked at the policeman square in the eyes. "Tell me the truth, how bad is it?"

"It's not good."

"Lucky, dammit, how bad is it?"

"It's bad. If we don't get them out of there, they could all die."

"They can't die, Lucky," Dillon insisted. "_She_ can't die."

That was all either of them said before bounding down the stairs after the others. Once they caught up with everyone outside, Lucky jogged over to join Mac and the others who were in the middle of negotiations. Most of the Quartermaines were asked to leave, getting into a limo sent to retrieve them from the hotel under siege.

"You need to evacuate," a nameless cop shouted at Dillon.

"I'm not going anywhere," he replied firmly.

"Come on, Dillon, we should really leave," Georgie retorted as she slipped beside him.

He shot her a dark look, lacking the patience to deal with her calmly. "You leave, I'm staying."

"I know you have family in there, but there isn't anything you can do," she pointed out.

"Lulu is in there," he muttered as he leaned forward, scanning the crowd for his mobster cousin.

"Of course, Lulu, I should have known."

"Are you serious? You're going to do this now?"

"Georgie, what are you still doing here? I told you to leave," Mac declared as he appeared next to his daughter. The police chief looked worn and visibly worried. With Maxie and Robin both inside, he had a lot at stake personally as well.

"I'm just trying to get Dillon to come with me," she answered.

"Dillon, you need to go too," Mac stated.

"I'm not leaving."

"Dillon…"

Dillon whirled around, hot tears stinging his usually gentle eyes. "Lulu is in there! I am not leaving without her. I won't leave while she is still inside. I have to know she is safe."

"Look, I know you're worried about her, but she would want you to be out of harm's way."

"She'd never leave me here," Dillon shot back. He knew that she wouldn't leave him. She'd be the first one to want to come inside, trying to find the loophole that would get her inside the hotel. She'd do anything she had to do to save him.

Georgie glared at him, knowing that he was right. She wondered if he would fight this hard for her. At one time, she knew that he would have done anything for her. These days, his life was filled with Lulu Spencer. She had tried to understand, especially during the abortion. But all of her kindness had long evaporated, almost like the love that had once been so strong between her and Dillon. Now, she was only left with an empty shell – a pale comparison – of the bright girl she used to be.

"I have to get back to work," the cop announced. "Georgie, you need to go home. Go stay at Bobbie's, and I will call you as soon as I get word."

She nodded understandingly and hugged her father tightly. "Be careful, Dad," she pleaded through the tears. "I love you."

Kissing her forehead absently, Mac thanked God that at least one of his girls was safe. "I love you, too."

"Please, Dillon, come with me," Georgie begged one last time.

Dillon wouldn't dare look at her. He knew that she would see into his eyes and know. "I can't," he declared with a note of finality. "I won't leave here without her."

Lucky lifted the binoculars and listened to his boss rattle off a list of orders to the newest group of men on duty. Beside him, Cruz was scribbling a list of names into a notepad from his shirt pocket, trying to get as many details from the few witness as possible. Trying to push thoughts of the people inside out of his mind, Lucky prayed that this somehow would find a peaceful resolution.

"Robin's been shot!" he heard someone shout as Mac came bounding toward the telephone. The police chief started hurling orders and insults at the man inside, but everyone knew that it would do no good. Elizabeth, Lulu, Nikolas and Emily were all inside, and Lucky didn't know how long it would take before he would see either of them again.

He wished that he had been there on time, silently cursing himself for putting anything before Elizabeth. If he had been just a few minutes earlier, if she hadn't been waiting in the lobby… There were so many what ifs to the situation, but he knew that none of them mattered. As a policeman, the only thing that mattered was the facts.

"Cruz, do we have any ideas on who is in there?" Lucky asked harshly as he started to pace back and forth. A true Spencer, a plan was already formulating in his mind. His partner read the list of names again.

"We have a hostage on the phone," Mac announced. "She's asking to talk to Lucky. She can't identify herself."

Lucky brushed past everyone, praying that it was his sister or wife on the other end of the line. As the two men exchanged the slim black phone, he felt an overwhelming desire to throw up. His nerves were shot, and panic was racing through his veins. "Spencer."

"Lucky, it's me," a small, familiar voice said.

"Em." No voice had ever sounded so good to Lucky before that moment. Her soft, gentle tone was enough to reassure him that everything could still be okay. Hope filled his heard. "How are you?"

"Grape," she said, giving him a clue that only he would be able to decode. It was a reference to their days as children, eating snow cones on the pier. "I have their list of demands."

"You're doing well, Em," Lucky reassured her, motioning for a notepad. "Okay, go ahead. Tell me everything." He listened intently as she told him each of the requirements. Handing the piece of paper to Cruz, he clutched the handset in his hand. "I'll take care of it."

"I have to go," she said, her voice suddenly fearful. He imagined the lanky brunette with a silver gun pressed against the small of her back. Wincing, he begged silently for just a few more words from her, not wanting to end his connection to the inside. "I'll be okay."

The line went dead, and Lucky slammed the contraption against the hood of the car. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath, a single tear threatening to escape from his hooded eyes. "I have to get in there."

"Now, we're talking," Luke announced quietly as he stepped next to his son. "I'm going inside. Are you with me?"

Lucky looked at his father, both surprised and happy to see him. "They won't let you."

"Let me? I never planned on asking for permission."

"I can't."

"Your sister and brother are in there. Nikolas is in there."

"And Em," Lucky retorted. "Emily is in there." Thoughts about his family and best friend were enough to convince him. "Alright, what's the plan?"

Lulu sat as close to Nikolas as she could, praying that she could just stay as quiet as possible. So many things made her want to fight, to yell out. With her brother's strength to draw on, she just kept repeating little stories in her head. She thought about her mother and Lucky and her father and Spencer. And Dillon. Of course, Dillon.

"Alright, we're going to play a little mix and match," One announced, yanking on her brother's arm. "The little blonde here is going to stay here, and you are going to come with me to watch over the pregnant nurse."

Nikolas looked at his sister and nodded slightly, giving her the little support he could without making a scene. As he disappeared out of the hallway, another masked man yanked Emily across the room and planted her next to Lulu.

"Ow," Emily muttered as she rubbed her elbow absently. Her mind was a mess. Half focused on her father and still half focused on her conversation with Lucky, she wasn't sure what to do. Lucky had sounded so close, and now, she could feel his strength in her heart. It had been a long time since her best friend had given here that.

"How's Lucky?" Lulu whispered under her breath.

"Fine."

"I just want to see him," the younger woman sobbed silently. "I want to see my brother."

"Me too," Emily mused. What she wouldn't do to be sharing a snow cone with him on the pier right now. "We will."

"I can't die tonight. There are still things I need to say."

Emily looked at her out of the corner of her eye. The conversation might keep both of them occupied at least for a few minutes, and maybe they wouldn't be quite as panicked. "Like what?"

"I need to tell Dillon that I know."

"You know?"

"I know that Dillon loves me."

"Nikolas!" Elizabeth exclaimed as they threw the dark prince into an empty room. She tried to reach over to help him break his fall, but she wasn't fast enough. His body crashed next to her, a muffled cry escaping from his lips. Neither of them said anything until they were alone again. "Are you okay? What's going on out there?"

"I'm fine," he insisted as he sat up. He scooted until he was sitting next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He pulled her next to him and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. "How are you holding up?"

"The cramps are getting worse."

"Just hold on, Liz, we're going to get out of here," he promised. "And when we do, you and I are going to eat an entire pan of your brownies. I can already taste them."

"With ice cream and nuts," she added.

"And chocolate sauce and whipped cream."

"And a cherry on top," she finished. "Cameron hasn't had enough of my brownies."

"We're going to get out of here," he repeated, taking his hand in hers. She squealed as another pain pressed against her abdomen.

"And if we don't, Nik, I'm glad I'm not alone."

"I'm right here with you, Elizabeth," he murmured as they leaned against each other. "I'm with you."


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay, Doctor, you can go tend to the patient," One decided, yanking on her arm. "Lulu will assist." Emily shot a look at her the blonde as they were pulled toward the couch where Robin was still laying. She had been asleep for hours, her body completely spent from the exhaustion of undergoing first a gunshot and then an impromptu surgery. Laying her hand flat against the doctor's abdomen, Emily made a verbal note of her condition.

"How is she doing?" Lulu asked worriedly. She didn't know what the different terms Emily had spouted meant. Lulu only knew the fear in her voice and the worry in her usually gentle eyes.

Emily wiped an invisible line of sweat from her forehead absently. "I don't know what else to do," she admitted. "I'm still just an intern. I've never done anything like this before."

Lulu looked at the gunman posing as the leader. "We need to talk to Patrick again."

"And what will I get in return?" he asked cockily, pointing the gun at her and then Emily.

Forcing herself to remain calm and not lash out, Lulu shrugged. She didn't have any idea of what else to offer him. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" he repeated, pacing behind the length of the couch where she was laying. "I think that I have everything I want."

Finally, Lulu didn't know what else to do but beg. "Please, you've come this far without actually killing anyone. Just let us call Patrick."

One stared at her, hardness and anger in his eyes. Inside, he was surprised to feel a pang of human kindness for the blonde. She had fought so hard for everyone, claiming self righteousness for the pregnant nurse, dark prince and dying doctor. "Fine, you get five minutes. If you talk a second longer, I'll shoot one of you."

Emily looked at Lulu questioningly, who nodded her approval. "Thank you," Emily muttered as she shifted the compression from her hands to Lulu's. She took the cordless phone from the gunman and waited for someone to answer on the other end of the line. When Lucky's thick voice filled her eardrum, Emily nearly started to cry again. "Lucky."

"Em," he breathed, relieved to know that she was still okay.

"I can't talk," she noted quickly. "Please put Patrick on."

"Okay," he agreed, muffling the mouthpiece while he yelled for the doctor. As he watched Patrick make his way over, he asked Emily the only thing he could. "Are you okay?"

Closing her eyes, Emily wished she could tell him yes with confidence, but her normally cool façade had long faded. "I'm doing what I can."

"Just keep it up, Em," Lucky murmured before handing the phone to Patrick. "I'm so proud of you."

His comment was enough to set a single tear free before Patrick came onto the line. "Emily, how's she doing?"

"There's still internal bleeding," Emily explained. "She's been out for awhile."

"What are her vitals?"

Emily answered, noting that she wasn't completely sure given her equipment. Patrick gave her a few directions, having her check a few things the old fashioned way. By the time she was finished, Lulu had signaled that they had one minute. Robin shifted beside her, her heavy eyes fluttering open. "Is that Patrick?" she managed.

Emily nodded her head and brought the phone receiver by Robin's lips. "You only have a few seconds," she warned.

"Patrick?" Robin ventured weakly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Oh, you know," she brushed him off. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fought with you. And I love you."

"I love you, too," was all he said before Emily's voice came back over the phone.

"We have to go," she said before turning off the phone with three seconds to spare. Handing it back to One, she returned to taking care of Robin, pressing the dark hair from her forehead and monitoring her breathing.

"Very good," One declared as he took the phone and set it on the desk. "Since you did as I asked, I will allow someone to go in and check on Baby's Breath."

"Elizabeth," Lulu realized aloud.

"That's right, Lulu, Elizabeth," he said cruelly. "I believe she is in there with Nikolas. Who knows, we might even have a baby by now?"

Outside, Patrick handed the phone back to Lansing and put his hands behind his head. Turning around in a circle, he wasn't sure if he felt like downing an entire bottle of tequila or putting his fist through a brick wall. He knew that he wouldn't be doing either. "Mac, I heard Robin. She's hanging in there," Patrick told the police chief. "Emily and Lulu are taking care of her."

"Well, at least he's letting Emily help," Mac said as he looked forlornly at the hotel. "Sorry, I have to go over logistics with Lansing. I'll get back to you if I hear anything."

Patrick nodded as the man left him alone. His place was soon replaced by Lucky. "How's Robin?" he asked worriedly. He really wanted to ask about Emily, but felt that he should at least as about the doctor's girlfriend first.

"She's strong," Patrick announced resolutely before turning to the cop. "And Emily is, too. She's doing okay, Spencer."

"This is a nightmare."

"Well, wake me when it's over," Patrick said dryly. "I never thought a day would come when you and I would agree on anything. Or that we would have to work on something like this together."

"Did you hear anything about Lulu?" Lucky asked, following Patrick's gaze to the front doors of the Metrocourt. "How's my little sister?"

"I could hear her talking to Emily," he offered. "She sounded okay."

"I'm just afraid that she's going to try to play the hero or try to fight," Lucky admitted. "There is too much Spencer in her veins. We never stay quiet. I've been trying to convince Dillon that she'll be okay, but I'm almost worried about her the most. I'd be devastated if any of them got hurt, but Lulu…she's my baby sister."

Patrick nodded to acknowledge the comment, not sure how to fill the empty, awkward pause. He was quickly reprieved as Dillon joined the duo. "Any word?"

Lucky quickly filled him in on the short conversation and then revealed that his father was already formulating a plan. "I'm going in with him."

Dillon and Patrick quickly exchanged looks. "Me too," they said in unison.

"No, it's too risky," Lucky insisted.

"The woman I love is inside," Patrick emphasized. "You are doing the same thing I am doing. I won't just sit out here helplessly while she drifts away. If there is even a chance I can save her, I have to take it."

Lucky nodded, knowing that the doctor was right. "Alright."

"What about me?" Dillon asked.

Lucky didn't want to add anyone else to the team. "I'm sorry, Dillon. You know that Dad's first priority is getting Lulu out of there."

"But if I go in, he can focus on getting Emily or Nikolas out," Dillon pointed out. "You're obviously going to go for Liz first, and Patrick is most worried about Robin."

Lucky was surprised that his first thought hadn't been of Elizabeth but of Emily. Suddenly, images of a few summers ago flashed in his brain. Their trip to the Caribbean when Nikolas had left with Courtney was still one of the best times of his entire life. "My first priority is the first person I can get out safely," Lucky recited, allowing his police instincts to kick in. "Dillon, it's just too risky."

"I've been on these adventures with your family before, Lucky," Dillon said. "I've spent the majority of the last two months helping your sister through another. It's my fault that she's in there, and I need to be the one to bring her out. I just need her." The desperation in Dillon's voice was enough to break anyone's heart. Lucky wondered briefly if the young man knew just how much he loved his little sister.

Nikolas looked at the clock in the corner of the room, mentally trying to figure out how long it had been since they had seen anyone else. Elizabeth was dozing now, going in and out of consciousness. Her cramps had subsided temporarily thanks to a gentle massage to her womb from Nikolas. He was willing to do pretty much anything he had to do to make this okay for her. As she stirred in her sleep, he pulled her closer to him for comfort. The honey scent of her hair filled his nose, giving him the only sense of familiarity in an otherwise alien situation.

"How are you feeling?" he murmured as she woke up.

"Okay for now," she said. "I was just dreaming about Cam."

"I've been thinking about Spencer all night."

"Nik, I have to ask you a question," she said softly. "I know that you'll tell me not to think about it, but just answer me. It'll make me feel better."

"Okay, go ahead," he permitted.

"What will happen to them if we don't make it out? Who will take care of Cam and Spencer?"

"We still have family out there," he reminded her. "Lucky and Audrey would make sure that Cameron had everything he needed, and Lucky would take care of Spencer, too. I'm sure that Alexis would help him with my son."

"I feel better knowing that at least Lucky's not in here," she admitted. "At least there is someone."

"I know," he replied as she started to cry softly into the soft material of his white button-up shirt.

"There is still so much I needed to tell Lucky. He still doesn't know that…"

"What?"

"The baby isn't his, Nikolas," she said softly, ashamedly. "It's Jason's."

"Elizabeth!"

"I know I should have told him," she lamented, "but I was afraid. I was scared that Lucky would go back to drugs or that Jason's lifestyle would put us in harm's way. It just seemed like the easiest option at the time, and once you get headed down that road, it's so hard to turn back."

Nikolas had been there and under normal circumstances would have laid into the petite brunette for such a vicious lie. But this wasn't normal and she wasn't just anyone. This was Elizabeth, the kindest soul he'd ever known.

"I was going to tell him," she continued. "And I promise that it will be one of the first things I do as soon as I get out of here, right after a trip to the hospital and hugging my son. Please don't be angry at me right now, I don't think I could take it."

"I'm not," he assured her, reaching for her with his free hand. Entwining their fingers, he held them up for her to inspect before laying a soft kiss on her knuckles. "This is going to be fine. We'll find a way to make it work."

"No one else knows, Nikolas. Not Emily, not Grams," she mumbled. "The only person who knows is my doctor."

"We'll figure it out somehow. Right now, we just need to focus on keeping you calm. Do you want me to tell you a story to keep your mind off things?"

Elizabeth nodded like a small child, "Please."

"Do you remember when Lucky caught us dancing at Kelly's all those years ago? He was so jealous that you were in my arms," Nikolas remembered.

"I remember telling him that there was no way you would ever look at me like you looked at Sarah," she said. "I was nothing special compared to my sister back in those days. She was the object of your affection and Lucky's."

"You've always been special, Elizabeth," he said. "You were beautiful in a completely different way, fiercely independent and determined to get what you wanted. You knew how to play the game better than any of us. You were the first to break the impenetrable friendship of Lucky and Emily and force yourself inside. Without that tenacity, the four of us might have never become friends."

"The Four Musketeers," she sighed. "You know, I always thought that Lucky had a thing for Emily. I kept waiting for the day when he would wake up and realize how amazing she was. I was so jealous of the way he admired her."

Nikolas traced her dainty wrist with his thumb, brushing it over her silky skin. "Emily has always had a special place for Lucky. A few summers ago, they were almost there, and I stopped it. They could have ended up together so easily when you were with Ric."

"Life would certainly be different if they had," Elizabeth decided. She peered up at Nikolas, a question pricking her brain. She was almost afraid to ask it. "Do you ever think how different things would have been if she ended up with Lucky, and I ended up with you?"

"I never could have handled you back then," Nikolas taunted before turning serious. "I admit, the thought has crossed my mind, but you know, life turns out how it's supposed to. I had to be with Emily to find Courtney. I had to be with Courtney to find Spencer."

"I know what you mean," she said. "Looking back, I hate the time that I spent with Ric because it's probably the worst time of my life. But I don't regret it because it led me to a night in bed with Zander. And that night brought Cam into my life, and nothing as good as ever happened to me since."

"I guess the same goes for Jason."

"Even if I didn't have this baby, I wouldn't regret that night. I needed that night to put Jason behind me for good," she acknowledged. "There aren't any more questions in my mind anymore. I know that I don't love him."

"So you love Lucky?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm not in love with anyone except my children," she answered. "They're what I am choosing to live for, they're my family. Grams, Cam and this baby are all I have."

"That's not true," Nikolas insisted, turning to her. Raising her chin so that her eyes were staring into his, he did his best to remind her of what she had. "You have Emily and Lucky. And you have me."

"Nikolas, I'm scared," she whimpered, admitting the fear fully for the first time. She wasn't sure if she meant that she was scared of the situation outside or the one obviously going on inside the room. Ether way, the fear was very real.


	3. Chapter 3

Nikolas blinked a few times as he woke up. Glancing at the clock in the corner, he figured that they had been alone in the room for over four hours. Elizabeth was sleeping next to him, her head resting on his broad shoulders. The soft rise and fall of her chest signaled that she was breathing well, and he hadn't heard her cry out from pain in at least a half-hour.

Shifting slightly, he leaned his head against hers. She mumbled something in her sleep as he moved his hand up and down her bare arm. She breathed a content sigh of relief without waking up. "Oh, Elizabeth," he murmured.

"Nikolas?" she asked sleepily, peering up at him with doe eyes. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Not that long," he assured her. "You should probably get as much rest as you can. It seems to be helping the baby."

Elizabeth hadn't even realized that the pain had subsided until that moment. She splayed her hands over her rounded stomach and rubbed it reassuringly. "Yeah, I feel better," she admitted. "I can't believe I actually fell asleep."

"There's nothing else to do," Nikolas pointed out as he leaned back against the wall.

"We could sing a song," she ventured. "When I was little, Sarah and I used to sing songs to pass time on long drives. It used to drive Steven crazy."

"Well, what do you propose we sing?"

She thought for a moment, scanning her mental play list. "Bye Bye Blackbird. Do you know it? It's by Joe Cocker?"

He smiled. "How could I not? It's one of your favorites."

"You remembered," she grinned before they started to hum the song happily. As they started into the second verse, Elizabeth felt a light flutter in her womb. "Oh, my," she giggled.

"What?" Nikolas asked as he stopped singing. "Are you okay? Is it the baby?"

"I'm fine," she mused. "The baby's kicking. She must like the music."

"She? It's a girl?"

"I don't know actually," she admitted. "I don't even know why I said that. I guess I just keep thinking that she's a girl."

"I bet she'll look just like you. Absolutely beautiful like her mother," Nikolas complimented.

She blushed a deep crimson momentarily before remembering who she was with. This was only Nikolas. "Do you want to feel?"

He nodded anxiously as she took his hand and laid it gently over her abdomen. Moving together in a circular motion, she felt the familiar drumming against her skin. Nikolas looked at her in amazement, his eyes wide with happiness. "It's the first time I've felt her kick," she revealed. "I've been waiting for it for the last month. It was my favorite part of being pregnant with Cameron. It was something that was just ours."

"Well, I'm glad I could be here with you to witness this," he told her. "It should probably be Lucky, but if he can't be here, I hope I'm the next best thing."

"You're the first best thing, Nikolas," she said. "You know, you're the one person in my life who has never let me down. Even when Lucky and I weren't together or you and Emily couldn't stand to be in the same room, we stayed friends. I don't know how that happens."

"We never had expectations for each other," he answered. "We were just friends because we chose to be. I was able to accept you for who you were without any precursors. You didn't care that I was a prince. I remember how shocked I was to find a girl who wasn't even a little impressed by it. You used to tease Sarah when she would daydream about becoming a princess."

"I guess I never saw you that way," she said. "I didn't care that you had this useless title. It didn't mean anything to me. What I cared about was how you treated me, and you were one of the few people who actually treated me with respect. Eventually, I was able to see past the rigid politeness and see this soft caretaker."

"You know I was scared of you when I first met you?" he confessed. "You were this bad girl, with your cigarettes and wild hair. You were a horrible waitress who couldn't stand authority and loved to sneak out."

"Ah, the good old days of Lizzie," she laughed. "That seems like a million years ago. Kind of like the days when I wanted to be a starving artist in the big city."

"And now, you're an amazing nurse and an even more amazing mother," he retorted.

"And you're…you," she taunted.

"Glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor," he teased back, elbowing her lightly in the ribs.

"It's all I have left, Prince Nikolas."

"Hey!" he protested, pulling on strand of hair that had escaped from her topknot. She reached up to brush his hand away but his fingers quickly caught hers. Elizabeth looked at Nikolas but quickly glanced away. When she realized that he still hadn't let go of her, she glanced back at him. He held her gaze for a moment before dropping her hand heavily. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."

"It's not what I did," he sighed as he turned his back to her. "It's how I felt."

"Let's see, who will I choose next?" One asked, standing in the middle of the room. Spinning in a circle, he held out his gun until it stopped on Emily. "Ah, yes, my favorite doctor. On your feet."

Emily stood up and stared at the man. He came over and brushed her hair away with the cool metal of the gun. "I'm going to release the doctor."

"You are," she stated, a questioning and skeptical tone evident.

"I am," he replied. "I'm going to agree to send her out in exchange for someone on the outside. I'm going to call Lansing and get a list of three names. You are going to select one of those people to replace her."

"I can't," she said.

"You can and you will," he shot back automatically. Whipping the phone off the counter, he hit redial and waited for it to connect. "Hello, Lansing. I need a list of three names outside. Don't hesitate, just give me the first three people you see."

Ric looked around until his eyes rested on a group of three people. "Patrick Drake, Lucky Spencer and Dillon Quartermaine."

"Hold on," One ordered, covering the mouthpiece. "Okay, Emily, you're choices are Patrick Drake, Lucky Spencer and Dillon Quartermaine. You have ten seconds to choose."

Emily thought for a moment. She knew that Patrick would need to go with Robin, and Dillon was still only a kid. Lucky was the only choice. As she looked at Lulu, she pleaded for the blonde to forgive her. "Lucky."

"Wise choice," he announced before returning to the call. "I'm going to lay Robin outside the door in exchange for Lucky. You have two minutes to decide. If you do not call back by then, I will shoot her."

Ric handed the phone to Mac before grabbing Lucky. "The gunman has agreed to exchange Robin for you. I have two minutes or she is going to die."

Lucky didn't even need to think. There was no way he was going to let her die. "Alright, I'll go," he decided. "Make the call." He watched as the district attorney went back to place the call to the gunman. He turned to Dillon and Patrick to give them both directions. "I'm risking my life for Robin, Drake, so you better make sure she lives."

Patrick nodded, all words escaping him. There was no way to thank the policeman for what he was doing. "Thanks."

Lucky simply shrugged before looking at Dillon. "I'm going to get her out, Dillon," he vowed. "I need you to tell my dad that I'm going inside. He'll know what else to do. Tell Monica that I'm going to take care of Emily, and call Bobbie to check on Cam." He took a deep breath as he started to shake with fear. "If something goes wrong and we don't make it out, make sure that Audrey takes care of Cameron."

"I'll take care of everything," Dillon retorted. "Can you tell Lulu that I…?"

"I'll make sure you can tell her yourself," Lucky concluded before heading toward the door. With one look back, he banged on the door before disappearing inside. Patrick waited behind the yellow tape. The door slid open again just enough for Lulu and Emily to deposit a very fragile Robin onto the pavement.

Inside the hotel, Lucky scanned the room and noted that his brother and Elizabeth were missing. The gunman, who quickly introduced himself as One with a British accent, ordered Emily and Lucky to sit down. Lulu was sent to watch over Alan in the other room.

Lucky sank to the floor beside Emily, looking around to see who else was in the room. He noted that Max was posted by the door and that Sonny was huddled next to Carly a few feet away. If things could go the right way, there could be enough manpower to overtake them.

As One went over to check on something, Emily looked over at Lucky. He reached down and took her hand, squeezing it. She smiled at him with wet eyes. "It's okay," he said.

"I'm sorry I chose you."

"You know that I wouldn't want it any other way," he reminded her. "Em, I don't want you to be in here alone. Where are Nik and Liz?"

"He sent them to another room when she started making too much noise," she answered.

Lucky grimaced with anger but tried to push it away. He needed to focus on the person with him right now. If she saw fear in his eyes, it might scare her even more. "I'm sure they're fine," he tried. "I told Dillon to call Monica to let her know that I'm with you. I thought it might help."

"Alright, we're going to play musical spares again," One called out as he returned to the middle of the room. "I've decided to trade the pregnant nurse and the dark prince for the brave doctor and the cop."

"That's Emily and Nikolas," Emily murmured as she stood up. Lucky grabbed her hand as they were led out of the room. Two, one of the quieter of the gunmen, pressed them against the wall as One led Nikolas and Elizabeth past. Nikolas gaped at his brother in shock as he helped Liz through the narrow corridor. They both seemed to look like they were okay.

A minute later, Two slammed the door and locked them inside. Emily threw herself the bare floor in the corner and finally allowed the tears to come while Lucky looked around the room. There was no way to escape. Resolved to his temporary fate, he dropped next to her. "C'mon, Em," he murmured as he drew her into his embrace. "There can't be any of those."

Emily turned her face and buried it into the soft knit of his black sweater. His silver badge was still pinned near the collar. She reached up and traced the silver metal, her fingers brushing over his name. "I still can't believe you're a detective."

He grinned. "Hey, I've always been resourceful. Remember that time when we ran away? There was a rattlesnake in the cave. I helped us survive that, just like I am going to help us survive this."

"There's nothing you can do."

"There has to be."

She looked at him and smiled sadly. "Well, maybe there is one thing you can do."

"What's that?"

"You can hold me," she whispered. "It might help me feel safe."

Outside, Dillon watched as Patrick Drake and a team of paramedics loaded Robin's body into an ambulance. As soon as they were gone, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed his mother. He quickly explained the situation, asking her to pass on the message to Monica. After hanging up, he called the other person on his list.

"What do you want?" Luke demanded on the other end of the line.

"Look, I don't have a lot of time," Dillon spat angrily. "Lucky just went inside. He traded places with Robin."

"He what?"

"They agreed to send Robin out if Lucky would go in," Dillon explained quickly. "He agreed. He wanted me to call you and said that you would know what to do."

Luke pinched the bridge of his nose as he pulled his car up to the scene. Throwing the car door open, he spotted Dillon and hung up. "Dillon!"

"Luke!"

The two came bounding toward each other. "Lucky's right, I know what to do. I'm going in after them, and I need your help."

"I'll do what I can."

"You're going in," Luke said as he pulled a small handgun from his pocket. "Morgan is waiting around back. He has a plan. The three of us are going to do this as a team. You're going to listen to whatever he says."

Dillon nodded and followed Luke to the back of the hotel to where Jason was waiting. He handed Dillon a gun and quickly filled the two men in on his plan. Spinelli would guide them from the outside.

Jason turned to his cousin and looked at him seriously. "Are you sure you can do this? We're counting on you."

"Lulu is in there," he said simply. "There's nothing else you need to know."


	4. Chapter 4

"Well, isn't that sweet," One said wryly as he strutted into the room where Emily and Lucky were still being held captive. Lucky had his arms around Emily, who was curled up next to him. His coat lay over her bare legs like a blanket. One grinned at the woman lewdly before wagging his eyebrows at the policeman.

Lucky instinctively positioned himself in front of her, using his body to shield her from the gunman. "What do you want with us now?"

"Nothing," he answered. "I just came in here to make sure that you two were behaving yourselves. The pregnant woman's life depends on it."

Emily glared at him. "We understand," she said bluntly.

"I don't think I like your tone," One decided, stepping toward them. Emily winced as she watched him press the barrel of the gun to Lucky's forehead. "Maybe you should apologize."

"Sorry," she retorted inaudibly.

"Louder."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, clasping her hands tightly in her lap to suppress her anger.

"That's better. I'll be back," he warned as he opened the door. Looking at the couple huddled together on the floor, he decided to prod them. "Look at it this way, Doctor Emily. Maybe something will happen between you and the cop here. Maybe I could be best man at the wedding."

"Shut the hell up," Lucky demanded through gritted teeth.

"Oh, nasty," One taunted before slamming the door. "I think I just warned you about that. Now, I'm going to have to show you the repercussions of not doing what you're told. Doctor Emily, he will be right back. In the mean time, you hang tight and stay quiet. If you make any noise, Officer Spencer won't return."

Grabbing Lucky by the collar, One dragged the cop into the hallway. Emily was startled to hear a few loud whacks before a heavy thud of a body hitting the ground. She could hear Lucky cry out one time followed by another series of sounds. The beating went on for a few more minutes before one of the gunmen pushed the door open and kicked Lucky's almost lifeless body back in the room. As the door closed again, Emily crawled across the floor. "Lucky."

"A-are you ok-kay?" he managed, his face already swelling. Emily reached down and caressed his cheek lovingly. Even in this state, his first instinct was to check on her.

"I'm fine," she reassured him. "Let's get you over here. Do you think you can sit up?" Lucky nodded and slowly drew his bottom to a sitting position. She helped him scoot across the floor and back toward their favorite corner. Grabbing a handkerchief from his pocket, she gently patted blood off his face. "Does that hurt?"

"No, it's helping," he answered.

"Good. Where is the pain?"

"My ribs."

"They're probably broken. Unfortunately, there's not much I can do," she said. "Lucky, you can't do that again. You have to just let him say whatever he is going to say."

"I couldn't stand to hear him talk to you like that. I'd rather die that listen to him disrespect you right in front of me."

"If you die, you're going to leave me alone with him," she pointed out. "You can't do that to me. I need you stay with me." Lucky's eyes fluttered closed as a sharp pain pressed against his chest. He moaned as he adjusted himself. "Maybe you should lie down."

"It's okay. I'll be okay," he lied. Emily knew instantly that he was trying to put up a strong front.

"Come on, Spencer, don't argue with me," she implored as she helped him turn sideways. Pulling him down so that his head was resting in her lap, she laid his blanket across his legs. Stroking his hair, she smiled down at him and tried to do her best to clean him up.

"Spencer," he repeated. "It's been a long time since you called me that, Quartermaine."

"It just comes naturally, kind of like your need to protect me."

"We've known each other a long time, Em."

"That we have."

"Have you ever thought-?" he began. "Never mind."

"No, what? You have to tell me."

"Have you ever thought about what it would have been like if we ended up together?"

Emily gazed down at him and nodded. "Of course."

"We almost had a chance a couple years ago, didn't we?"

"Well, we both definitely felt something," she agreed. "But we never really acted on it. I was still reeling from the rape and dealing with Nikolas' relationship with Courtney. You were mourning a loss of your own. I guess our timing wasn't right."

"There was another time when I thought something might happen," he revealed. "It was right before Zander kidnapped you. I had just come back not too long before, and I felt guilty for not paying more attention when you went through such a hard time."

"I never knew that," she smiled. "I thought you were still so hung up on Elizabeth that there was no way you could see me."

Lucky shook his head. "I've always seen you, Em."

Dillon followed Jason into the stairwell. The two men exchanged a look before Luke popped the ceiling tile off. Hoisting himself up into the ventilation system, Jason nodded before disappearing to look over the lobby. He would go check out the situation and report back. In the mean time, Spinelli was giving Luke various routes throughout the hotel.

Jason hunched over and made his way through the tight confines of the vent. Turning a corner, he could hear a British accent making demands as he drew nearer to the lobby. Stopping a few feet short, he listened as the man taunted someone on the hotel staff. Carly tried to defend them, but Sonny quickly quieted her. Glad that someone was down there to help keep his best friend calm, he glanced around the lobby. He could see Carly, Sonny, Liz and Nikolas. A moment later, Lulu was escorted back in and deposited next to Carly. Putting her arm protectively around her cousin, Carly jeered at the man. "Good for you," Jason thought to himself, proud of her for not backing down.

He counted the number of hostages and the number of gunmen. He checked to see if anyone else was hurt and then turned back to find his partners again. By the time he jumped back out of the vent, Dillon's nerves were shot and Luke was rearing to go.

"Well, what'd you see?" Luke asked.

"There are around twenty hostages in the lobby. I know that a few of them are stashed in other rooms," Jason explained. "I saw five gunmen, and it sounded like there was another locked in the vault with Maxie Jones."

"How's Lulu?" Dillon asked.

"She looked okay. When I left, she was with Sonny and Carly. They won't let anything happen to her."

"What about Lucky?"

Jason shook his head. "I didn't see him or Emily. Nikolas and Liz were in the lobby."

"One step at a time," Luke reminded himself. His first priority was to get Lulu out and then he'd find his son.

Dillon seemed to read his mind. "I'll get Lulu, Luke. You take Elizabeth. You know that Lucky would want her to get out of there along with Nikolas."

Luke nodded, too tired to argue with the young man. He knew that Dillon would lay his life on the line for Lulu, and Liz was pregnant with his grandchild. It was what Lucky would want. "Are we ready to go?"

Jason and Dillon nodded as Luke explained the possible routes. Jason assigned them each one and then handed Dillon a gun. "You do whatever you have to do," he ordered him firmly. "If someone threatens you, you shoot and keep shooting until you're safe. Turn around and try to get out as quickly as you can."

Dillon nodded, knowing that he would ignore his cousin's orders if he didn't have Lulu with him. He wasn't about to leave the hotel without her, especially not that he had come that far.

Luke patted him on the shoulder knowingly. "Good luck."

Dillon grinned as adrenaline pulsated through his veins. "I'll see you on the other side."

"We have a female patient, 27, with weak vitals," the paramedics announced as they rolled the gurney through the emergency doors at General Hospital. Patrick Drake jogged next to them, never letting go of Robin's hands. She was still unresponsive, not gaining consciousness since they had retrieved her from the sidewalk.

"Dr. Scorpio!" Epiphany exclaimed as she came running up. She listened as the emergency team rattled off a list of numbers before notating them on a new chart. Trying to focus, she suddenly remembered the doctor's health status. Looking up at Patrick, she also knew that she needed to find another doctor quickly. Looking at a nurse, she ordered her to page Noah Drake.

"I'm going to do the surgery," Patrick stated.

"You can't," Epiphany argued. "You're too attached. It'd be a conflict of interest."

"What do we have?" Noah asked as he arrived. Epiphany handed him a set of gloves and pulled a mask over his mouth while she explained the situation. Patrick filled in the holes anxiously, urging everyone to hurry.

Following the bed down the hallway toward the operating room, Patrick watched helplessly as they transferred Robin onto a new gurney. Noah turned to his son and patted his shoulder compassionately. "I'll bring her back to you."

Nodding through his tears, he reached over and hugged his father briefly. "Please, take care of her," he implored before leaning over Robin's bed. She was starting to regain consciousness, her timing as bad as always. Managing a brave smile, he leaned down and kissed her eyelid. "I'll be right here waiting."

Elizabeth sat restlessly in the lobby, looking around the room at the familiar faces. She could see Sonny with his arm around Carly, holding near to his small body. There was Max next to Sam, speaking softly to her in reassuring tones. Father Ruiz was near the doorway, and Lulu had just been brought back out. One pushed her toward Nikolas, who quickly pulled her down beside him.

"How's Alan?" she whispered, leaning across Nikolas to question her sister-in-law.

"I don't know, I couldn't really tell," Lulu said. "He was having trouble breathing, but I gave him an aspirin to chew up. I didn't know what else to do."

"I'm sure you did fine, honey," Liz replied, reaching over to cover the girl's hand. Nikolas put his arm across Elizabeth's back supportively, rubbing down her spine gently. She shivered under his touch, thankful to still have a connection to anyone in the room.

"Lu, there's something I have to tell you," Nikolas murmured, looking up at the gunmen to make sure that he wasn't being watched. "I heard that they exchanged Robin for someone on the outside. When they brought Liz and me out of there, we passed Emily and Lucky. He's in here now."

"Did he volunteer himself?" Lulu inquired. "He'd be the first one to tell me to not be a hero. Why did he have to do this?"

"Emily was given a few options," Nikolas said. "I think the other two were Patrick and Dillon. Lucky was really her only choice."

_Dillon_. "Oh," she muttered, not really sure what else to say.

Just then, she heard a rustling sound overhead. Looking at Nikolas, she realized that he must have heard it as well. She glanced at the ceiling before drawing her eyes downward again. If she stared too long, One and the others would become suspicious. As it continued, she looked around the room. No one was watching them at the moment so she looked up again. A familiar pair of blue eyes caught hers for a moment before moving on.

Not daring to reveal what she had just seen, she closed her eyes and prayed that Jason wasn't alone. As strong as the mobster was, it was going to take a hell of a lot more than him to save everyone. "Please let this work," she thought to herself, clasping her hands tightly together. As she did, she caught sight of a small scar on her hand. Lifting her palm toward her face, she remembered cutting herself in the boathouse the night Tracy had caught her with Dillon. He had kissed her skin tenderly to make her feel better. It had worked. She pressed her hand to her lips, trying to recapture the moment. In that hotel lobby, surrounded by people, she felt like she had nothing but memories to keep her alive.

"Ow," Elizabeth muttered, her hand immediately flying to cover her stomach. "That was a sharp one."

"Here, let me," Nikolas murmured, reaching down to massage her abdomen. Lulu watched curiously, slightly taken aback by the intimate gesture. Something was different.

"I don't remember saying that either of you could talk," One sneered as he came toward the trio. "You have been nothing but trouble, Baby's Breath."

"It's my fault," Nikolas volunteered.

"My, my, aren't we chivalrous? First the doctor and now the nurse," One taunted. "You must have a thing for brunettes. Or is it those in the medical profession?" Nikolas remained silent, much to One's chagrin. "Why don't you kiss her? You really seem to like her."

"I don't think so."

"Oh, no, I think you misunderstood. It doesn't require you to think, only to do."

"I won't."

"You will," he spat, grabbing Lulu by the hand and yanking her in what has become a familiar position, the gun pushed against her throat, "or she dies."

"It's okay," Elizabeth stated plainly. "Just kiss me."

Nikolas turned and brushed his lips against hers chastely. "Now, is that any way to kiss a woman?" One asked, his eyebrow raised. "Try again." Elizabeth took the lead this time, placing her left hand on his cheek. She drew his face into hers, laying a gentle but closemouthed kiss on his lips. "Better but not quite."

"Would you stop it?" Lulu pleaded.

"I think you're the one who should stop," he warned. "Now, as I said, Prince kiss Baby's Breath here. We're all bored and could enjoy a good show."

"Fine," Nikolas relented with hostility. "You want a show? You've got a show!" Looking apologetically at Elizabeth, he grabbed her face fiercely and went in to kiss her. Pressing her back against the wall, he hungrily devoured her lips until they were swollen. After a minute, he pulled away and looked up at One. "Are you satisfied?"

"Not as much as you," he laughed before letting go of Lulu.

"I'm sorry," Nikolas apologized as soon as One had walked away. He took Elizabeth's hand and squeezed it. "I am sorry that you had to be put through that."

"There's a lot worse in this world than have to kiss a prince, Nikolas," Elizabeth pointed out, smiling slightly to show him that she really was fine. "Especially one as kind and gentle as you. If I had known you were such a great kisser, I would have done it years ago."

He couldn't believe it when he found himself chuckling softly. "Well, I can honestly say there is no one else in this room I'd rather kiss."

Not letting go of his hand, Elizabeth moved closer to rest her head on his shoulder. "Just don't get any crazy ideas and try to protect me again. The baby and I need you to stay here with us. We're kind of depending on you."

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "I already told you, I'm here with you."


	5. Chapter 5

Noah took off his gloves and threw them in the trash can. Epiphany nodded obediently as he silently conveyed their next move. Pulling the blanket up over her body, Noah took one last look at Robin. Across from him, the nurse rested her hands on the railing of the bed and then led the surgical team out of the O.R. "I'll go tell him," Noah said before he headed off in the opposite direction.

Patrick was sitting in the doctors' lounge, his body folded in half. His head rested against his knees, his hands covering his dark hair. He heard the distant sound of footsteps approaching him, but he was too exhausted to even lookup. "Son?"

"Dad," he mumbled, standing up slowly. He knew that he should be rushing forward, but he was almost afraid to find out what he had to say. The next five minutes would determine the entire course of his life, and it was hard to know that a moment had that much power to change your life. Taking a deep breath, he searched his father's eyes for a hint of what was to come. When he came up empty handed, he decided to just bite the proverbial bullet and ask the dreaded question. "How is she?"

Noah reached up and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "She's finally stable," he revealed. Patrick's face lit up briefly before faltering again. "I was able to secure the wound, but she has lost a lot of blood. I don't have to tell you what that means."

"Has she woke up? Where is she? Can I see her?"

"Why don't you have a seat?" he gently prodded Patrick, helping him into his chair. "Robin still hasn't regained consciousness, and she isn't breathing on her own. The truth is I can't tell you when she is going to wake up. I can't let you go in."

"I know all this," Patrick muttered angrily, raking his fingers through his hair frantically. "But I need to see her. I know the rules, I know protocol like the back of my hand. But we're not just talking about any situation or any patient. We're talking about Robin."

"I can't break the rules, not even for Robin."

"Then break them for me," he pleaded, his eyes wet as he gaped at his father. "Break them for your son."

All air escaped Noah's lungs as he looked at his son. There was such sadness about him. It reminded Noah of himself. He had the same look in his eyes when his wife was dying. "I can't," he whispered sadly.

Patrick hit the chair next to him with his fist, the hollow thud reverberating throughout the room. "I love her," he stated plainly, loudly. "I love her, Dad. I am in love with Robin. And now, I may lose her, just like you lost Mom. You wanted to spend every moment with her, even when the hospital wouldn't let you. I remember watching you sneak into her room. If you had her back, I know you'd do the same thing all over again. I don't waste a single second of the little time we could have left. Don't take her away from me."

"I can't," Noah repeated, drawling his voice out. "But I will."

"Thank you!" Patrick cried, hugging his father quickly before rushing out of the room. He jogged past the nurse's station before taking off in a full out sprint. By the time he reached Robin's room, he was winded but exhilarated. Standing outside the door of her room, he leaned against the cool glass of the observation window. She was sleeping peaceful like the slice of heaven she had always been.

Pulling her chart out of the slot on the door, Patrick went into the room and easily dismissed the attending nurse. Once he was alone with Robin, he pulled the armchair next to her bed and scanned the numbers. Everything his father had told him was reflected on the clipboard, and he was sure that Noah had done everything he could to bring Robin back. Tossing it on the counter beside him, he reached over and took her hand gently in his. Leaning his head against the gentle curve of her hip, he started to just talk.

"Leave it to you to bring me to my knees," he taunted lightly. "You have always been a challenge, pushing me to do the things I think I want least but secretly need most. I had to trust my father to take care of you, and it looks like he has. You're still here, and that has to be enough for right now."

"When you wake up, I'm going to make everything right," he promised. "You have to come back to me; we're not done here yet. There are still a thousand fights to be had, a million makeups to be made, a billion kisses to be shared. I need you, and I've never needed anyone in my entire life. Come back to me, Earth Angel, please come back."

Dillon made his way through the ventilation system until he could hear the same British accent Jason had heard moments before. Staying just off to the side, he could see people scattered around the plush lobby. Sonny was sitting on the floor, his arm tightly wrapped around Carly. Nikolas was with Elizabeth just across the way, her head lying gently on his shoulder. Beside him, Lulu was leaning against the wall, her knees drawn to her chin. She was slowly rocking herself back and forth, trying to calm her nerves.

A memory flashed through his mind, reminding him of the last time he had seen her like that. She had been in the boathouse, curled up in the fetal position on the bench. They'd just had another fight, the hundredth in a string of many surrounding her abortion. He'd been so angry at her, tossing around words like they meant nothing.

When Dillon Quartermaine looked back at the truly horrible moments of his life, that one struck out above all the rest. It was hands down the worst thing he had ever done, far surpassing such trivial acts as stealing his brother's car or neglecting Georgie. In that moment, he had called Lulu a selfish bitch, shattering her into a million pieces. Closing his eyes, he knew that if he could ever take one split second back, it would be that.

"I'm going to make this right," he said to himself as he shimmied on his stomach to get a better view. Lulu looked like she was still holding her own, and that was all he could hope for given the situation. Moving forward, he noticed a break up ahead and decided to see if he could pop out a tile and drop into one of the private rooms. As Luke rounded a corner to his far left, it appeared that he wasn't the only one that had had such an idea.

"Alright, Young Spielberg, what did you see?" Luke asked as they both dropped from the ceiling. Dillon quickly filled him in on the situation still going down in the lobby. Luke wracked his brain, trying to come up with the scheme of all schemes, the one that would save his daughter's life. "I think I might have an idea."

"Well?"

"I need Lulu to act up, to have him throw her in a different room. Once she's in there, you're going to drop into that room and get her back out via the ventilation system."

"What about the others?"

Luke looked at him sharply. "You worry about getting her out of here, and I'll worry about the others. The only thing you need to know is that she is your goal."

"She's the reason I'm here, Luke," Dillon spat angrily. "She's the reason I was even in the hotel at all. My only priority this entire night has been Lulu. I'm not just talking about the hostage situation, either. I was here to help her clear Laura's name. I've devoted my entire life the last three months to helping her do it, too."

It was Luke's turn to ask questions as he was clearly puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"We both put our lives on hold to clear her name. Laura told Lulu that she wasn't guilty before she slipped back into her catatonic state," Dillon explained. "We were here to question Alan, to take his damn PDA."

"We don't have time to talk about this," Luke realized. "We have to get Lulu out of here."

"And how do you propose that we convince her to make a scene?"

"That's the only part of this plan I haven't figured out."

Then, Dillon remembered what had come after he had seen her rocking herself. She had blown her top, screaming at him until she had been nearly breathless. "We don't have to convince her at all," Dillon stated. "She's going to do it herself. I'm going to go back over the lobby and wait for it. I know her, she's going to do it soon."

Luke nodded and helped lift Dillon back into the vent system. Both of them were tired of navigating the cold metal corridor, but it was for Lulu. Dillon quickly found his place again and watched her closely. As the Brit made another round around the room, waving his gun stupidly, Lulu was starting to lose her poise. By the time he had threatened Sam McCall, her resolve had shattered completely.

"Would you just do something?" Lulu screamed. "We're tired of your stupid, empty threats. If you're going to kill us, just do it."

"Lulu!" Nikolas chided her loudly, trying to grab her.

"Let go of me," she demanded, pulling her hand back. "Come on, what are you waiting for?"

Dillon watched as the lead gunman strutted to where she was standing. He reached out and caressed her face. Dillon felt anger pulsate through him. "Because it's more fun to watch you squirm, Screw You Lulu. I've always found that torture has quite an effect on the human psyche."

It was clear that he was sick, but he wasn't demented enough to break Lulu yet. "I'm so over this," she mumbled, walking straight into the barrel of his gun. "Just do it, Mr. One, pull the trigger. Kill me."

"Lulu, please!" Elizabeth screamed, trying to scramble to her feet. Nikolas gently pressed her back down. "Please, stop."

One turned, snapping the gun back. He waved his hand at another of the masked gunman, indicting that he should grab Lulu. "Lock her in one of the rooms alone. I can't stand to listen to her ranting anymore."

Dillon leaned forward and squinted through the grate as Lulu was led by the arm down the hallway. He counted the doorways until she was thrown into a room, the heavy door slamming shut behind her. Then, as quickly as his knees would allow, he made his way toward the room and toward her. As he positioned himself over the room, he could hear her softly sobbing to herself. That was all he needed to hear. It had to end, this had to end.

"Please don't cry."

"Dillon?" she sobbed, rubbing her eyes to make sure she was seeing things clearly. Before she knew it, Lulu was on her feet again, rushing toward him. Throwing herself into his arms, she buried her face in his soft shirt and inhaled deeply. Letting herself sink into him, she knew that she was finally safe.

"How long do you think we've been in here?" Lucky asked as Emily continued to stroke his dark hair rhythmically. "It seems like minutes one second and then days the next."

Emily sighed. "I don't know," she admitted. "I mean, eventually, the vault will open and they'll get the briefcase. I don't think they really plan on letting us go."

Lucky hated to tell her, but Emily was probably right. They would likely allow the hotel to explode once they had what they had come for. With the two of them locked inside as well as Elizabeth and Nikolas, he was beginning to worry about the children. Bobbie and Alexis would be left to make sure that Spencer and Cameron were raised and safe. He could only hope that they would both live long enough and that Helena would stay as far away as possible.

"I'm so tired," she mumbled after a few minutes, yawning softly as she reached her long arms over her head. Her green dress rustled as she adjusted her legs, which were becoming numb from sleep.

"Do you want to switch places? I could sit up for awhile," he offered. They were both well aware that Lucky's body wouldn't be able to handle it, just like they both knew that Emily would refuse.

"I have a better idea. Why don't I just lie down beside you so that we can both rest?"

"We can pretend we're in a cave, camping out underneath the stars. We can act like the only people that exist are you and me and that there isn't anything out there than can hurt us except a stupid rattlesnake."

"I can hear the bats in the distance," she pretending, sliding down until she was lying in front of him, laying like spoons. Lucky leaned against her, laying his chin on her shoulder. "You know how much I hate bats."

Lucky put his arm around her waist, trying to give himself connection to the only soul who could understand where his head was at. "I hear coyotes in the distance, I hope they don't come looking for prey. You know, my father always said that they can smell fear."

"Great," she joked childishly, "they'll be able to smell me from a mile away. Are you going to protect me when they come, Lucky?"

"I think I'm going to need you to protect me," he teased. "You've always been the strong one, Em. You've always held us all together, even when all we wanted to do was run away. You helped me get through my coma, fought with me when I was strung out. You would never accept me as I was. You always knew that I could do better."

Emily turned over in his arms, pressing her forehead against his. She could feel his steady breath on her cheek. "You're the one thing I've always been able to count on. We've been in each other's lives a long time, and I can honestly say that there is no one in this world who knows me better. I love Nikolas and Elizabeth, but they never quite know when to stop. But you, you know the exact moment when I've had enough."

Lucky nodded, having found the same thing in the waspy brunette in his arms on more than one occasion. A pang of something familiar infiltrated his heart. "There's a shift in your eyes," he explained. "When you get really angry, even before the rest of your body has had the chance to react, your eyes start to shake in your head. It's like you're trying to look in both my eyes at once."

"Oh, yeah?"

"But it's not the only time you get that look," he whispered, amazed that they were still so close. "You have it whenever anything is really intense. When you're really happy and about to jump out of your skin from giddiness, that's how you look. And when you're sad, that's the look that crosses your face just before you cry."

"How do you know me so well?"

"You let me in here," he emphasized, tapping his finger against her temple to indicate her brain. "And here," he repeated, pressing his hand to her heart. "You let me in your life."

"Lucky," she whimpered inaudibly, the moment – the intimacy – too much. Here they were in a hostage situation, their significant others in the other room, and Emily was fairly certain that she was beginning to see all of Lucky Spencer for the very first time. She was realizing what she had long known but had been afraid to admit, the one thing she had tried to suppress above all others. She might just be in love with her best friend.

Lucky looked away, knowing that this situation was bringing out something neither of them were fully ready for. In all the moments in their entire lives, why had they chosen a hostage situation to figure out how they finally felt? Maybe it was that they were pushed to their limits, isolated together. Maybe it was the only way they would ever be able to hear all the unspoken words.

"Em, I need to tell you something," he confessed. "I…"

She laid her index finger across his lips and shook her head. "I know, Spencer, I know."

Jason and Luke maneuvered their way to an open room where they could speak, hanging out near the hotel lobby where someone else had been kept a short time before. Luke quickly explained the situation with Lulu before they started to concoct the next phase of their plan. The focus was now on getting Elizabeth out of the hotel and to safety. The older of the two men had added that Nikolas was also important with Jason adding that that Sam, Carly and Sonny were to also be watched. Either way, the pregnant nurse was the first one they had to get out.

As Jason was about to explain the next step, a masked man pushed his way through the door. Jason and Luke worked quickly to knock the man out, gagging him and tying him to a chair before putting him into a closet. "Well, I guess that takes care of that," Luke laughed humorlessly. Jason picked up the mask and pulled it over his face. Luke tossed him the gun and nodded, his blue eyes twinkling. "A man on the inside, who knew we'd get so luck?"

"I'm going to figure out a way to get Elizabeth back here," Jason said. "I'll try to send Nikolas with her."

"I'll get them out, and then come back to meet up with you again," he said. "We still have Emily and Lucky to find. And Sam, Carly and Sonny. Thanks for your help."

"You're doing the same thing for my family," the mobster shrugged, a mutual understanding between them. Without another word, Jason disappeared out of the room and Luke prayed that he would be successful in his endeavors.


	6. Chapter 6

Nikolas tapped his foot against the thick carpet, counting the number of times his leather shoe pounded against the floor. He was well past 200, having started the useless game once Elizabeth had drifted to sleep an hour before. Since Lulu had disappeared, she had been a little tenser than before. He had finally convinced her to rest, knowing that it was the only way she was going to be able to stop worry.

"Wake her up," One demanded, kicking Nikolas' foot as he paced by.

"She's exhausted," Nikolas argued. "She's pregnant, and the stress isn't good for the baby. You won't let her go and you won't give her any water. Just let her sleep, please."

"Why should I?"

Nikolas looked at him. "Because at one time, there was someone who loved you as much as she loves her baby," he tried. "You have a mother, or at least you had one. How would you feel if someone was doing this to her?"

"Nice try," One chuckled. The truth was, the young nurse reminded him terribly of his mother and he had spent much of the night trying to avoid the connection. They had the same wide eyes, filled with unabashed kindness. Sometimes he wondered how such a gentle woman had ever raised a man like him. "Wake her up."

Defeated, Nikolas gently shook Elizabeth from her sleep. Her green eyes fluttered open as she struggled for a moment to remember where she was. Straightening her back against the wall, she stretched her legs before carefully laying her hands over her womb. She hadn't felt the baby kick in a few hours.

One stopped pacing and stood at Liz's feet. "I've decided to let you have a drink," he offered, handing her an unopened bottle of spring water. "You're not to share it with anyone, and you need to drink it all."

Elizabeth nodded gratefully, sorry that she had to be thankful to such a horrible man. Still, she was in no position to be picky, and the baby needed the cool liquid. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was until she was halfway through the bottle. Sliding the lip of the plastic bottle against her ruby lips, she scanned the room to see if Lulu had returned. When she noted that she hadn't, she became nervous again.

"Where's Lulu?" she asked Nikolas quietly, whispering behind the bottle as she pretended to drink. Nikolas shrugged in response before One noticed that they were talking without permission again.

"Did you have something you wanted to share with us?" 

"I was just saying how grateful I was to you for this water," she said, holding it up in a mock toast. "I really appreciate it. You were kind when you didn't have to be."

One grinned at her and nodded, surprised that someone had finally learned to play the game. Out of all the hostages, he had never expected that Baby Breath Elizabeth would be the first one to catch on to how to get along with him. "For that, I think I will also give you something to eat," he decided, walking to the table that housed food and beverages. Scouring the contents, he finally decided on a red apple. Tossing it at Nikolas, he ordered the prince to hand it to the nurse.

Elizabeth bit into the juicy apple, eliciting a happy kick from her baby. She smiled at herself, glad to know that there was still life in there. "Hey, there," she bubbled softly, rubbing her swollen belly while she ate. The truth was that there was something to her plan. She knew that if she was kind enough, he would give her food and drink. And if he gave her that, she would need to use the bathroom. That was probably the only way she would get a moment away from the lobby and get a chance to escape.

As if on cue, the baby pressed against her bladder. "Oh, no," Elizabeth squeaked, earning her a look from One. "I'm sorry."

"What is it now?"

"It's just that I'm pregnant," she said, "and when you're pregnant, things tend to go right through you. I guess between the water and the juice from the apple, it was too much for my bladder to handle."

One seemed to consider her for a moment before nodding. "We can't have that happening here," he announced. He was going to have to have someone go with her to the bathroom, and the only female guard was attending to the doctor in another room. Looking at one of the random gunmen, he nodded. "Two, you'll go with her."

Elizabeth panicked for a moment, trying to figure out a way that she could include Nikolas in her departure. "I'll need help with my dress. Please don't make a stranger do it," she pleaded.

He was playing right into her hands, and Elizabeth knew it. For some reason, he had suddenly developed a soft spot for her. "Fine," he relented, pointing his gun at the prince. "You can go with her. Two will be right outside and has strict orders to shoot you both if anything happens."

"Yes, sir," Liz replied courteously, smiling brightly into his eyes as Nikolas helped her up. Placing his hand on the small of her back, Nikolas followed the nurse as they made their way to the staff bathroom just off the lobby. Once they were shut inside the room, Liz threw her arms around Nikolas and hugged him tightly. "It worked." 

"What worked?" he whispered, reaching for her zipper. He knew that they didn't have long, and if she needed to go to the bathroom, they should probably take advantage of the little time they had.

"Stop," she said, turning away. "I don't have to go to the bathroom. I faked it. I just wanted to figure out a way for us to get out of here."

"I think I can help with that," Luke offered as he popped out the vent and stuck his head through the ceiling.

"What time is it now?" Emily asked sleepily, grabbing Lucky's wrist to look at his watch. "It's past 2 a.m. now, only three hours left."

He grimaced with anguish as she rolled over to look at him. They hadn't said much since the intimate moment an hour before. Instead, they had elected to simply sleep. Sitting up, a mischievous smile played on his lips. Forming his hand into a mock microphone, he held it up to his face. "You've been a hostage for nine hours, Emily Quartermaine, what are you going to do next?"

"I'm going to Disney World!" she giggled, ruffling his hair. "Let's play another game. How about we play Truth? I'd say Truth or Dare, but there aren't really a lot of viable dares available."

"That sounds harmless," Lucky agreed. Emily sat up next to him, leaning against the wall. Lucky wrapped his arm around her to bring her near to him, a position that had become customary in their given situation. "I'll go first. What's your biggest regret?"

Emily thought for a moment, scanning her brain. "There are a lot of regrets. I wish I had never taken drugs or stayed away from Port Charles for so long. But when I really think about it, I guess it's marrying Zander. I feel like things would have never gone the way they did if I had just been honest with him up front. He might still be alive today."

"You can't blame yourself for that," he reminded her. "It'd be like Nikolas blaming himself for the year I lost when Helena killed me in that fire."

"Okay, it's my turn now. What is the happiest you ever remember being?"

"You promise you won't laugh?" he asked. Emily nodded obediently. "Well, I have two. The first moment was the day I adopted Cameron. It's the first time I ever felt permanently connected to anyone in my entire life. There was this little boy who was completely dependant on me as a father. That was a bond that no one could ever break or take away."

"You're a good father, Lucky," she complimented him. "I admire that you and Elizabeth have managed to stay devoted parents to Cam, even when you couldn't be married to each other. You have really put him first."

"He's the reason for everything, Em," he confessed. "My reasons for living have varied greatly over the years, but they won't ever change again. He will always be my reason for fighting."

"And what's the other moment?" 

"There's this moment, we couldn't have been more than eleven. I remember chasing you and Annabelle through the park with Foster. After years of being on the run with my parents, it was the first time I really felt like a normal kid. I was free from everything."

"I remember that day," she reminisced. "I'd been in Port Charles for two months. You found out the day before that it was going to be the anniversary of my mom's death, so you planned the entire thing out. We went to the docks and fed the ducks, had grape snow cones on the pier, ate ribs at Eli's, snuck a piece of apple pie from Ruby. It was so great."

"And then later," he continued, "I snuck out and came over to your house. You were upstairs in your room, and I threw pebbles at the window until you woke up."

"I climbed down the trellis and we took the rowboat out on the lake," she giggled. "We were so young and stupid. We could have tipped the boat over and drowned."

"I would have saved you."

"Yes, you would have," she drawled, the moment quickly deepening.

Lucky reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand, but she turned away. "It's my turn again," he proclaimed. "Tell me a secret you've never told anyone."

"You already know all my secrets," she protested.

"I don't buy that for a second, Quartermaine."

"Fine," she grumbled. "When I was in California, I danced in a strip club for a single song."

"What?!?" Lucky cried.

Emily covered her face, her throat now a deep red hue. "I know!" she exclaimed sheepishly. "But you have to understand."

"I understand completely."

"Ha ha," she muttered sarcastically. "No, seriously, it was right when I found out that I had breast cancer. I went out with a couple of girlfriends from the college I was going to and had a few too many drinks. I made the mistake of telling one of them that I had always secretly wanted to do it, and before I knew it, we were across town and I was being dragged on stage."

"That's priceless!" he cracked up, his ribs aching from the laughter.

"Paybacks are hell, Spencer. Your turn, same question."

"I've already told you one secret tonight," he pointed out.

"Doesn't count, so spit it out."

"When I was little, I wanted to grow up to be Sonny."

"I already knew that," she argued. "It has to be a secret."

"Okay, fine. You want a secret? This is so embarrassing, but my first crush ever was on Angela Lansbury, you know that chick from the crime show?"

"The really old lady?"

Lucky shrugged. "I've always had a thing for mystery."

Once Emily stopped laughing, she finally managed to tell Lucky that it was his turn to ask her a question.

"What song did you dance to?"

Emily smacked Lucky on the head. "I hate you."

"Dr. Drake, you have a phone call," a petite intern announced from the doorway of Robin's room. She still wasn't awake, and the ventilator was still helping her breathe artificially. He took her hand in his and kissed each knuckled before leaving the room.

"Thank you," he said passively before taking the receiver off the desk. "Drake."

"It's Mac," the police chief announced over the line. "I just wanted to call and check on Robin? Your father called when she got out of surgery to tell me, but I haven't got a status report lately."

"I'm sorry, my dad went home to get some rest," Patrick apologized. "She's still holding her own, Mac. I don't think she'll be off the ventilator tonight, and I'm still waiting for her to wake up."

Patrick could hear a heavy sigh as Mac rustled the cell phone. "I can't talk long, but I want you to know that I really appreciate you staying there with her. I wish I could be there."

"Robin would understand, you know that," Patrick assured him. "And there is nowhere else I belong other than by her side. I love Robin."

"I know that you do."

"How's it going there?"

"Not well," he said. "There haven't been any more releases, and we haven't had contact for a few hours. At this point, we're running out of options."

"Well, good luck," Patrick said, knowing that there really wasn't anything else to say. "I'll call you if anything changes or if she wakes up. Let me know if anything happens on your end."

"Will do," Mac agreed before ending the call.

Patrick handed the phone back to the nurse behind the counter and headed tiredly for Robin's room. His body was wracked with exhaustion by now, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer. Grabbing a blanket from the supply closet on his way by, he quickly made up a makeshift bed in the armchair next to Robin's bed. Kissing each eyelid before settling into the chair, he once again leaned his head next to hers. "Goodnight, Robin," he murmured as his eyelids drooped toward sleep. "I love you."

"Dillon, how did you get in here?" Lulu asked once they had finally pulled apart. Dillon was afraid to let go of her, his fingers playing with the long tangle of blonde hair splayed across her back.

"There really isn't time for that," he told her, gripping her hand fiercely. "We need to get out of here."

"Wait, my family is still in there," she protested. "I can't leave knowing they're not safe."

"Your dad and Jason will get them," he promised. "I told your dad that I would get you out of here. That's the only reason he even agreed to let me come."

Dillon busied himself pulling a chair underneath the vent as she watched on. "You came for me?"

He immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to her. Shortening the distance between them, he once against slipped his arms around her waist. "Who else would I have come for?"

"It's take a hostage situation for you to finally realize, huh?" she teased as he led her to the chair. Using his hands as a lift, he hoisted her into the ventilation system. She cursed as her dress became momentarily caught before he popped himself into the ceiling after her. Pulling the tile back into place, he gave her directions on which way to go. When they finally reached a clearing, he was able to maneuver his way into the lead.

"Can we stop for a minute?" Lulu pleaded. "We're safe up here. They can't hurt us up here."

"I just want to get you out of here," he retorted, stopping despite himself.

"Just come here for a second."

"Lu, we don't have time."

"Yes, we have time," she insisted, reaching for his hand and pulling him near her. "We always have time for this. We will make time for it." Running her hands up his arm and down his back, she leaned into his body until her lips crashed on his. His fingers quickly found her hair as her tongue darted past his lips.

Taking more of her into himself, Dillon reveled in the knowledge that she was finally safe in his arms. After a minute, he pulled away breathless. "I'm so happy that you're safe," he murmured, stroking the soft hair next to her face. "I'm sorry that it took me this long to realize. I'm sorry that I haven't been more there for you. I'm sorry for everything."

Lulu looked at him meaningfully. "I know you are," she murmured, pecking him on the lips. "You made up for it. You came for me. You saved my life."

"I had to. I just realized that I love you, I can't lose you now."

"You love me?"

"Yes, I love you. I love you so much, Lulu."

"I love you, too, Dillon." He grinned at her before starting to crawl again. Looking over his shoulder, he called for her to follow him. "You know, I'm kind of glad this happened in a way. Without it, you might not have realized that you loved me."

"Bite your tongue, Lu," he muttered as they neared the end of their journey. Kicking forcefully through one last tile, he was relieved to see the empty ballroom. "We made it," he announced as he dropped from the ceiling. A second later, Lulu followed him out. "We just have to go down the staircase and we're out of the hotel. I want to take you over to General Hospital to have you checked out before I take you home."

"Dillon, I can't leave without knowing my family is okay."

"Please," he begged. "I need to know you're okay."

"They didn't hurt me," she promised, surprised to see the anxious tears slipping down his cheeks. "I promise, Dillon, he didn't do anything to me."

"I saw him with his hands on you, taunting you," Dillon sobbed. "I'm so sorry that I let you go down there."

"You do not get to blame yourself," she said. "We are going to get out of this hotel, and I am going to get checked out by the paramedics outside so that you feel better. Then, we are going to wait for my family to come out. Once everyone is safe, we are going to go home, and we are going to start our lives together. Everything is going to work out just like I said because we've come too far for God to disappoint us now."


	7. Chapter 7

"Luke!" Elizabeth squealed, rushing across the room to wrap her arms around him. She never thought she would see the day when he would show up and save her. He was usually too far removed from any situation to actually be there when he was needed. However, with both his children inside, it made sense that he would be there.

"Hello, Princess," he grinned, hugging her briefly before looking over her shoulder to the Cassadine prince. "Nikolas, we gotta get her out of here now."

Nikolas nodded with understanding; his first priority was to make sure that Elizabeth was safe. "I'll get her out of here and then come back to help you with the others."

"No, you'll stay with her," Luke argued. "I'll take care of the rest."

"My brother and sister are both in here, Luke," Nikolas shot back. "You can't push me out right now. They're not in the same place, so you're not going to be able to do it on your own."

"Lulu is already on her way out. I sent Dillon out with her. She might even be safe for now. As for Lucky, I will be able to take care of that. Jason is in the hotel, too. Between the two of us, we'll figure this thing out. I just need to know that Elizabeth and my grandchild are safe."

"What about Emily?" Elizabeth asked, taken aback that no one had mentioned her to that point. The truth was that she had managed to not think about her ex-husband or best friend for quite some time. Her mind had been focused on staying with Nikolas and keeping the baby safe.

"I'm sure she's with Lucky," Luke assured her. "If not, Jason or I will make sure she gets out. She's like family to Lucky. I would never leave her behind." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Nikolas along with a handheld radio. "This is a map of the ventilation system. I know that it's not the most preferred place to take a pregnant woman, but it may be the only way out. You need to follow the path I've highlighted back to the ballroom. From there, you should be able to get out through the stairwell."

"What about the elevator?" Elizabeth asked, afraid that her body was too tired to take too many stairs.

Luke shook his head. "They closed it down. I know it'll be hard on you, honey, but you're going to have to take the stairs. My guess is that Lulu won't be too far from the hotel, so try to find her when you get out. Dillon will probably try to convince her to go to the hospital to get checked out, but she will refuse to leave if you guys and Lucky are still in here."

"She's like Lucky and me. There's no way either of us would ever leave the other two behind," Nikolas agreed.

"We'll find her as soon as we get out," Liz promised.

"You're going to the hospital," Luke told her, earning a nod from Nikolas. "You need to take care of that baby. The paramedics out there already know that you have had problems. I'm sure they'll be waiting out there for you."

"I'll take care of her," Nikolas declared. "I'll take care of both of them, Luke. But we should probably get out of here soon. We may not have that much time before they come back for us."

Elizabeth leaned forward and hugged Luke tightly. "Thank you for coming for me."

"You're still a Spencer in my book," Luke murmured as he embraced her, "and you have a Spencer in you. Take care of yourself." She nodded obediently before Luke turned to Nikolas. "I trust you to get her out of here. Don't mess it up."

"You know that I'll protect her with my life," Nikolas avowed, shaking the man's hand with a mutual understanding.

"If something happens, you will need to help Lulu get through it. Whatever happens, just make it okay for her," Luke implored. "And take care of Elizabeth and the kids. Make sure that she has everything that she needs if Lucky and I don't get out of this okay."

"You will," Nikolas said, "but I will. You know that I will."

"I do," Luke agreed as he helped Nikolas push a stool beneath the vent. Nikolas popped himself into the vent before Elizabeth crawled onto the tall chair. Luke helped her balance while Nikolas reached his hand out. Within a few moments, she was right behind him, quickly making her way toward safety. Luke closed the hole in the ceiling and said a silent prayer that they would see each other soon on the other side.

Dillon pushed the big door open, his hands immediately flying into the air. Lulu was a few steps behind him as they approached the policeman. "Don't shoot, don't shoot!" he screamed, reaching back to make sure that he had a hold of Lulu.

"Dillon!" Mac yelled, rushing up to meet the two blondes. "How did you get in there?"

"I had some help from Luke and Jason," he explained. "They're still on the inside undetected. I spoke to the person guiding them through the vents right before we came out."

"I need to ask you questions, Lulu," Mac demanded, eyeing her.

Dillon shook his head vehemently. "She needs to get checked out."

"She can't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere until my family is out!" she yelled, the events of the past 12 hours hitting her all at once.

"Of course not, Lu," Dillon murmured, laying his hand gently on the small of her back. "We're going to take you over to the paramedics over there, and they're going to check on you. We'll get you some hot chocolate and a blanket, and we'll sit down and wait until your family is out. When you are ready, Mac is going to come ask you some questions. He won't bother you until you're ready."

"Dillon, we have to know what's going on in there."

"You want to know what is going on in there?" Lulu shouted. "They are intimidating us with everything they have, threatening to kill one or all of us. The leader, Craig, he shoots at whim or at least presses a gun against your head if you dare argue. We've been terrorized, jeopardized, endangered. It's hell on earth in there."

Dillon pulled her into his arms as she started to sob, falling heavily to the ground. He shielded her from the noise, the sirens, the questions. Pressing her face into his chest, he stroked her hair until her quivers had subsided. "Where can I take her?" Dillon asked finally, looking over her mass of blonde hair at the police chief. "I have to get her out of here."

"You can use the back of an ambulance," Cruz offered, pointing to where a line of vehicles was parked. "No one will bother you until you're ready to talk, Lulu."

"Cruz, you don't have the right…"

The detective looked at Mac. "That is my partner's little sister. She has been put through hell tonight, and she needs some time. We are going to give it to her. If you don't like it, you can fire me. But I will not let her be subjected to badgering."

"Thanks, Cruz," Dillon said as he scooped Lulu into his arms. She hid her face from the public as he stalked toward the car. Depositing her onto the floorboard carefully, he slammed the door shut behind him, quieting the air so that he could only hear her breaths. "It's okay, Lu. It's just you and me now."

"Dillon, I can't talk about it to him. I don't want to remember."

"You don't have to, baby," he promised. He knew her well enough to know that she had reached the end of her rope. There was no way in the world anyone was going to break her.

"Will you kiss me?" she whispered, finally pulling away. She tried to smile at him through her tears, but her face quickly fell. Dillon reached up and brushed away her tears, nodding silently. Running his hand tenderly down the side of her face, he stared intently into her eyes. Leaning in, he kissed her softly, sweetly. She cried against his lips, salty tears traveling down to their interlocked lips. "Dillon, I need to tell you something."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"When we were out there, I began to feel like I was receding into myself," she confessed. "You have to make sure I don't. You have to promise me that you won't let me end up like my mother. I don't want to miss my life."

"You were the one telling me that we were going to start a life together after this," he reminded her. "You promised me that, Lu, so you can't let me down."

"I'll make you a deal, then," she whispered. "You make sure that I keep up my end of the bargain, and I'll see that you do the same. Help me stay here, help me stay with you."

"I promise I won't let you fade, Lu," Dillon retorted warmly. "We'll save each other."

"How many stories up are we?" Emily asked.

Lucky shrugged. "I'm not sure, a couple."

"So, I guess jumping is out of the question."

"The glass is impenetrable, bulletproof even. We already talked about it when I was out there, thinking that could be a way in. Carly and Jax used the highest security devices, including the windows. They probably never thought that it could be used against them."

"I'm starting to get desperate, Lucky. We have to find a way out of here."

Lucky reached over and took her hand. "I know you're anxious to check on Nikolas, Em. We just need to stick together, and we'll find a way out of here."

Emily laughed humorlessly. "Nikolas," she sputtered. "That's horrible. I hadn't even thought of him for the last couple of hours. How could I not be worried about him? I'm supposed to be in love with him. I've just been focused on you and me that the thought of him never even crossed my mind really. I'm sure you've been thinking about Liz."

He shrugged almost apathetically. "Worrying about her isn't going to do me any good. Beside, we're not together anymore. Past the fact that she is the mother of my child, I don't know that I have the right to worry about her. Not like that, at least."

"Lucky, c'mon, this is me you're talking to."

"I'm quite aware of who I'm with," he murmured, looking into her eyes. "You have to know that I've only been thinking about you since I heard your voice on the phone, Em. As soon as I heard the fear during the first phone call, I've wanted to protect you. You've been my first focus. That's probably not right and maybe I'll be ashamed of it later, but for now, I just know that it's the truth."

"Something has changed since we've been in here," she said. "I don't know what it is."

"My mom always told me that crises always have a way of pushing people together. She'd say that it makes you realize what is really important, what the true priorities in life are. When you're pressed against the wall, you figure out what you've wanted to ignore or what you've been incapable of seeing."

"And what have you figured out?" 

"I've figured out how much you mean to me, Em."

"You mean a lot to me, too, Spencer," she remarked, running her fingers through her long hair. "I certainly couldn't have gotten through this without you."

"I wouldn't have wanted you to. I would have come in even if they didn't offer the trade for Robin," he revealed. "I would have done anything to be in here with you to make sure that you were okay."

"Lucky, if we die in here…"

"We're not going to die, Em. We're going to get out."

"You don't know that, and if we don't, I need to say this."

"Okay," he permitted. "Go ahead."

"If I'm going to die, I'm glad you're with me," she said. "You were there in the beginning of this life, my arrival in Port Charles. It seems fitting that you be here with me if it ends."

"Oh, Em," he whispered, leaning his forehead against his. "I'm glad that neither of us alone. I'm glad we have each other."

"We've always had each other. I mean, you were my first crush."

"You were my first kiss," he added.

Emily smiled. "We were so young, so innocent."

"You were innocent until I corrupted you with my wanton, juvenile ways."

"Dream on, Spencer," she taunted before an idea came into her head. Looking at him intently, she posed a question he wasn't expecting. "Since you were my first kiss, do you want to be my last kiss?"

"I don't know if we should. I mean, if you get out, you're going to go back to Nik. It would be wrong."

"For once in my life, I don't care about right and wrong, Lucky. I only care about what is and what I want. And what I want," she breathed, "is you."

"Em, we can't."

"Kiss me."

"Em."

"Fine, I'll kiss you," she murmured, reaching out and pulling his face to hers. Pressing her lips against his firmly, she felt his resolve melt away beneath her fingertips. Before long, he was kissing her back, his fingers stroking the back of her neck gingerly as his tongue crept past her teeth to invade her mouth.

"Patrick?" a weak voice said, rustling the doctor from his sleep. He looked around the dark room, his eyes still blurry from the short doze he'd managed to fall into over the past hour. He looked toward the doorway, expecting to find someone waiting for him. As he heard his name again, he was ecstatic when he realized that it was Robin.

"Baby," he murmured, flipping the light on over her bed. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead. "You came back to me."

"What happened? Am I okay?"

"You're okay for now," he said, pressing the button to call in a nurse. She needed to be checked immediately. "You more than okay, you're alive."

"Why am I here? The last thing I remember was when they took us hostage. Is it over?"

"Robin, sweetheart, you were shot," Patrick told her slowly. "You lost a lot of blood inside the hotel. I had to help Emily perform surgery on you over the phone. Elizabeth and Carly assisted. Carly even sewed you up."

"And she didn't kill me?"

"Ah, good, your humor is still in tact," he mused, brushing hair away from her angelic face. "She actually did quite a good job. No one even thought about you being HIV positive. They just dove in to take care of you."

"What about Liz and the baby? Did they get out?" she rattled off. "And Emily and Nikolas? Where is Maxie? She was inside too? How's Lulu?"

"They're all still inside," Patrick said. "He agreed to release you in exchange for another hostage."

"No," she whimpered. "Who went inside?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Please tell me, I need to know."

"Lucky Spencer," he answered. "Emily had to decide between Dillon, Lucky and me. She chose Lucky."

"My life isn't worth anymore than his," she started to cry. Lucky had always been kind to her, and he was Nikolas' brother. She wouldn't have agreed to the exchange had she known. "He's a father."

"And he's a cop," Patrick pointed out. "His entire family other than Luke was in there. He probably thought that he would be more helpful from the inside. There was no doubt in his mind that it was the right choice. He wanted to go in, Robin."

"If he doesn't get out, I will have killed him. He gave his life for me."

"Don't say that," he murmured, taking her hand in his. "He gave his life for all the hostages, not just you. You cannot blame yourself for this."

Robin watched as he went to retrieve his phone from a nearby table. "I don't know what to do."

"You're not supposed to know yet, Robin. This just happened. You need to focus on your health right now. The doctors are on their way to check on you. In the mean time, I have someone who wants to talk to you."

She took the tiny phone from his outstretched hand and pressed it against her ear. "Hello?"

"Robin, you're alive. You're awake, you're okay!"

"I'm okay, Uncle Mac," she promised. "Now you just do the same for everyone else."


	8. Chapter 8

"Just two more floors, Elizabeth," Nikolas announced, looking over his shoulder to check on the pregnant woman. She was a few steps behind him, her breath even after taking a short break a few stories ago.

Elizabeth stared at his back before stopping. "Nikolas, wait," she called out, resting her hands on her stomach. "I can't do this."

He turned around, clearly worried to see her stopped again. "What's wrong? Is it the baby? I can probably carry you if you need," he offered. "We just need to get out of here. You need to be checked out."

"I'm scared to leave," she whispered. "Everything has changed since I've been in here. I can't just go back to the way things were before."

Nikolas skipped up a few steps to where she stood, wrapping his arm around her. "I know that things are different. There are going to be ramifications, both immediate and eventual, that everyone is going to have to deal with. You can't think about that right now, though. You need to think about getting out of this hotel."

She looked at him carefully, trying to find the courage to say the one thing she felt like she still needed to say. "I can't just go back to being your friend," she admitted. "I know that's not fair to Lucky or Em or even you, but I can't. We've been through too much together tonight, Nik. I don't think I can just pretend that it's the same."

"I don't want you to pretend," he avowed softly. "I wish I had answers for you right now. I wish I could tell you that this was going to be easy and that no one was going to get hurt, but I can't do that. I can only promise that I'm not going to let you go through it alone."

"I need to tell you something, Nikolas. Before we get out of this hotel and everything gets even more chaotic, I have a confession to make," she began slowly. "This baby isn't Lucky's. It's Jason's."

"Elizabeth!"

"I know that I should have told everyone, especially after what you went through," she whimpered, tears spilling down her cherubic cheeks. "I was too afraid to tell the truth. I knew that it could send Lucky back to pills. And it puts my baby at risk because of Jason's lifestyle. But I can't lie anymore, not to Lucky, not to Jason and especially not to you. Please don't be angry."

"You did what you thought you needed to do as a parent. I understand that now," Nikolas said. "I'm a father, and I know that I would do anything to protect Spencer. You were just doing what you felt was best for the baby. It will be okay, Elizabeth, I promise. I'll find a way to make it okay for you."

"Can you do me a favor? Can you kiss me one last time before we leave here? I know that it may be the last kiss we ever share."

He reached up and stroked her curly tendrils. "Not if I can help it," he murmured as he caressed her mouth with his. It was a sweet kiss, a true kiss, filled with the anticipation of many years. After he pulled away, he looked into her kind green eyes. "Are you ready to get out of here now?"

She nodded confidently. "The baby needs to be checked, and I want to see my son."

"I can't wait to hold Spencer," he agreed as they started down the staircase again, this time holding hands. "It's almost a year old, can you believe it? I'm going to throw a huge birthday party for him at Wyndamere. It's going to be ridiculously over the top, but we have a lot to celebrate."

"I just want to go crawl in bed next to Cam and read his favorite book until he can't stand to hear it anymore," she told him. "I want to sit at the kitchen table with Grams, drinking tea and talking about life. I want to have Mike's hot apple pie at Kelly's."

"I want to go for a long ride on Sheba, to feel the morning air against my cheeks before the sun has even made its appearance," he dreamed. "I want to have a tea party with Kristina and Molly, to laugh until my ribs ache. I want to see Alexis freak out again."

"I want to see you drink a beer straight from the bottle," Elizabeth taunted as they stepped onto the landing of the final steps.

"That will never happen," he chuckled, gripping her hand tightly. They stopped abruptly on the other side of the staircase. "Are you ready? It's going to get crazy once we get out there, so you need to hold on to me. Don't let go until we're safe."

She searched his dark eyes and nodded. "I understand," she stated as he reached for the doorknob.

Wrapping his arm around her waist firmly, pulling his jacket around her petite body to shield her, they stepped out into the early dawn together. Their movements were as one as people swarmed near them, yelling demands and pulling them in different directions. Still, neither Nikolas nor Elizabeth let go until they were well on the other side of the yellow police tape. There, he helped a paramedic wrap a standard issue blanket around her body. They were sitting next to each other on a gurney when Nikolas spotted a flash of blonde coming toward him.

"Nikolas!" Lulu screamed, losing one of her heels as she ran across the pavement. Nikolas looked at Elizabeth before leaping up, catching his little sister in his embrace. They both started to weep as she buried her face in the starched collar of his white button-up shirt. "I didn't know if I would see you again."

"Of course you would," he reminded her. "There are already too many Spencers in this family. I'm the only Cassadine, you need me."

She giggled despite herself as she clung to him. He kissed the top of her head. "I'm just so happy to see you," she bubbled. "I already called Wyndamere. Spencer is doing fine."

"You checked on my son?" he asked proudly, touched that his sister would think of something like that. "Thanks, Lu."

"Cameron, too," she revealed. "I called Audrey. He's asleep and has no idea what has happened. She kept him away from the television."

"You should probably tell her," he replied, nodding toward where Elizabeth was still sitting. Dillon came up and joined them, his eyes glued to the blonde woman who was still holding onto her brother. She nodded obediently before going over to join Elizabeth, smiling over her shoulder as she made her way toward the ambulance. Once she was out of earshot, Nikolas turned to Dillon. "How is she doing? How did you get her out?"

"I took her through the ventilation system," he answered. "She seems fine, but she's afraid. She had this moment where she kind of froze, and I guess she felt like she was going inside herself. It really shook her up."

"Like Mom," Nikolas sighed. "Then what happened?"

"I just reminded her that I was going to take care of her. I would have given my life for her, Lulu. I risked everything to bring her out, and I'll do it every day for the rest of my life if I have to."

"Thank you for taking care of her, Dillon. I wasn't able to do it, especially with Elizabeth having contractions."

"I'm in love with your sister, Nikolas. There is nowhere else I belong."

"Elizabeth!" Lulu squealed as her former sister-in-law grinned. The pregnant woman stood up and hugged her tightly, thankful that they both had made it out. Now, only Lucky and Emily were missing. "How are you feeling?"

"I haven't had cramps in awhile," she explained. "I've already been checked out here, and everything looks good. Epiphany and some of the others set up a triage station, knowing that I was inside."

She smiled. "I'm so glad, Liz," she retorted. "I called your grandmother to check on Cameron. He's doing okay, sleeping peacefully. He doesn't know that anything has happened."

"Thank you," she grinned, relieved to know that Cam had no idea what she had been through. He was too young to understand, and he would have only been scared. What about Spencer?"

"He's fine, too. I spoke to Alfred just after Dillon and I got out," she said softly. "Look, I don't mean to be a downer, but have you seen Lucky or Emily? Are they okay?"

Elizabeth shook her head sadly. "We only saw them once when they were brought into a room and we were brought out. They were together at least. They'll take care of each other like Nikolas took care of me."

"What about my dad?"

"He's the one who helped get us out of there," she said. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to see your dad in my entire life."

"Is he okay? I mean, was he safe?"

"He's better than okay, Lu," Liz promised. "He was going to go find your brother and get them out. Jason is in there, too. They'll make sure that everyone gets out."

"I just want everyone to make it out. My dad, Lucky, Emily, Carly…there are still so many people in there that I care about," Lulu murmured. "I mean, I've even gotten to know Jason over the past few months. He's inside with Sam now."

"I know, there are people in there that we all care about," Liz remarked as they perched on the edge of the ambulance. Leaning against each other, Liz wrapped her arm around Lulu affectionately, stroking her arm to reassure her. "They are going to make it out."

"Everything changed tonight. We're going to be trying to figure out just how much for a long time to come."

"Probably more than we realize, Lu."

Patrick sat next to Robin's bed, clutching her hand as they watched the scene unfold at the Metrocourt. "It's so bad inside there, Patrick," she whispered, unable to tear her eyes from the screen. "He is playing a mind game that is really going to end up hurting people. I don't really remember much, but I know that it was scary."

"Maybe we shouldn't watch this anymore."

"I can't be there with my family. At least let me see them on T.V. I need to know if Maxie is okay. I need to know if my friends are going to be okay. Nikolas, Elizabeth, Emily, they're all in there. And Lucky, the man who gave his life for me, he's in there."

"You should be resting," he pointed out. "Your body has been through so much. Watching this isn't good for you. You wouldn't let me watch it if I was in your place."

"I almost died tonight, Patrick," she argued hoarsely. "If I want to know that my family is okay, I have every right to do that. Mac, Maxie and Georgie have been the only consistent people in my life, and right now, that psycho has one of them inside. Maxie is like my little sister, Mac has been a father to me. If we lose her, it is going to devastate him. Georgie isn't going to be able to handle it. I have to prepare myself…"

Patrick watched helplessly as she started to sob. She was usually so stoic, so together, but when it came to Mac and the girls, he knew that they were among the people that mattered most to her. He knew that it wouldn't do any good to offer her false hope, to tell her that everything was going to be fine. Instead, he decided to do what he could to support her. "Okay, we'll watch together."

Robin adjusted the bed so that she was sitting up, leaning forward intently as she watched a camera pan around the scene. "There's Mac," she said softly, pointing limply to where he was on the screen. "He looks so brave, but I know that he's scared. He's terrified that he is going to lose Maxie."

"You should have seen him when you were both in there," Patrick revealed. "I think the only time I saw any sense of relief in his eyes was when he saw Georgie. Their brief reunion outside the hotel was the only moment of happiness he had until you were brought outside."

"Wait? Is that Elizabeth?" she asked. They both gaped at the screen as Ric Lansing rushed over to check on his ex-wife. Lulu Spencer sat next to her, both of them wrapped up in the same blanket. "She's out, she's safe. The baby must be fine or she would be here."

"And Lulu got out," Patrick grinned. "Luke must have been able to get her out. I know that he was going to go in with Morgan and Dillon Quartermaine."

"Yeah, there's Dillon," she added. "Standing off to the side with Nikolas. The four of them must have made it out. I don't see Luke or Jason, though. Or Lucky and Emily."

"Luke wouldn't give up while Lucky and Emily are still in there," he assured her. "And Jason still has Sam, Carly and Sonny inside. There is no way he'd leave them there. He'd rather die than do it."

She shook her head. "Normally, I would agree with you, but if Sonny and Carly were both in there and unable to get out, he'd leave them behind if he could get to safety. It's what the three of them would want. One of them would have to make it out for the boys."

"You seem to have a lot of insight into the situation," Patrick commented, hoping to take her attention off the hostages for a few minutes.

"I played second fiddle to Sonny and Carly for years," Robin pointed out. "There is nothing in the world that matters more to Jason than Michael and Morgan, I know that better than anyone. No one ranks like they do, not even Sam. He wouldn't let the boys lose all three of them at once."

"Do you think you still would be with Jason if things had turned out differently?"

"You mean if I hadn't told the truth?" she asked. "No, we wouldn't have made it. I can't imagine a scenario where I don't tell A.J. At the time, I really believed it was the right thing. Now, I'm not so sure. I just know that my revelation changed the lives of five people – Carly, Jason, A.J., Michael and mine. I got pushed out, and A.J.'s dead. It is what it is, I guess."

"Do you regret it?"

She shook her head. "I regret that it hurt Jason so deeply and that Michael's life was ever put at risk. But the rest of it isn't my fault, and I think I've finally come to terms with that now," she said. "Besides, I wouldn't have spent time in Paris with my mother or given myself so wholly to my research. I can't regret it because it gave me my life. It gave me you."


	9. Chapter 9

"Well, well, well," Craig announced angrily from the doorway. "I'm glad that you two have gotten cozy because I am going to have to make good use of you. It seems that a few of your friends have disappeared, severely limiting the number of hostages I have to use for leverage."

"What do you mean disappeared?" Emily asked, her body shaking. Lucky wrapped his arm around her protectively, moving his battered body in front of hers. He wasn't sure what was going on, but his first instinct told him that he needed to protect Emily. "Who is missing? What have you done to them?"

"I haven't done anything to them, Dr. Emily," he remarked smartly. "But apparently someone is helping them get out. We can't have any of that. Now, Prince Nikolas, Baby's Breath and Little Lulu are all gone. I guess you two will have to do."

"Leave Emily, take me," Lucky offered. "I'm a policeman, the men outside will listen to me. There is no way they would ever shoot one of their own."

"Oh, I'm counting on that, Officer Spencer, just like I'm counting on the fact that they would never shoot a woman. And something tells me that this is especially true for Dr. Emily. Many people seem to care what happens to her."

"What are you going to do with us?" Lucky asked through gritted teeth. He was acutely aware of Emily's hands around his waist, resting on his hips. He brought one down to cover hers, entwining their fingers tightly.

"I'm glad that I could bring you two together," Craig taunted with a hearty laugh. Emily gaped up at him as he stared at their hands. "Before all this, you were only worried about what happened to the prince, and I believe you cared about Baby's Breath."

"Funny how things change," Emily spat. "Let's just get this over with. I'm tired of you terrorizing all of us. Just do what you are going to do."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Emily. Now then, you and Officer Spencer will be serving as our human shields when the vault opens. It should be any time now, so we should probably take you to the lobby to get your prepared on the plan. Besides, you can show your young love in all its glory for the world to see. It's likely the last time anyone will see you alive anyhow."

Emily was suddenly no longer afraid of him. In fact, looking at Lucky, she knew that he wasn't either. "Fine, whatever," she muttered as she stood up. She reached for Lucky's hand absently, showing that she wasn't afraid. "Come on, Lucky."

Craig pressed the cold gun against bare skin just above the neckline of her dress. "Seriously, there is no need for that, we're going," Lucky groaned with a bored tone. "Why not threaten me some more? I figure it's more of a challenge that way."

"Or I could get another gun so that I could shoot you at the same time."

"Fine by me," Emily retorted, acting as though she wasn't really paying attention. Inside, she was slowly calculating what she was going to do next.

"Yeah, me too," Lucky said. "That way, I don't have to watch Emily die. That's about the only thing I don't think I could stand."

"Although, you would die like a minute later, so it probably wouldn't be that hard, Lucky," Emily pointed out. "I mean, you would be with me again within a matter of moments."

"Well, that's true," he sighed. "I guess it doesn't really matter. We're going to die anyhow. We know how it ends for us, it's predictable. I wonder how it's going to end for him, though. I mean, there is no way they are going to let him go, even if they have us. I'll tell them to shoot to kill as soon as we get out that door."

"And you know Mac, he never misses," Emily giggled. "Cruz is out there, too. It seems like he'd have an axe to grind in the situation. I'm sure Ric will want to come out looking like the hero. Not to mention the fact that Jason is out there, and there is no way he is going to let his sister's murderer go free."

"Jason Morgan is your brother?" Craig asked. "What an interesting twist…"

Emily nodded. "And Luke Spencer is Lucky's father there. He's pretty well known for exacting revenge however he seems necessary. I don't really see how you're going to live past this night. And you know what, no matter how bad you think it's going to end for us, it going to end even worse for you."

"Well, that is if you believe in God," Lucky stated plainly. "And I saw the crucifix you had in your pocket, so I'm going to go with Catholic. You're obviously not very devout, but I'm sure you know enough to figure out how the whole heaven and hell thing works. One of your men shot a priest, and you've terrorized women all night. You threatened a pregnant woman and shot a doctor who does AIDS research."

"Not to mention the fact that you kept two teenaged girls hostage in all this. And you shot Max over there. Add all the mental terror, threats and overall abuse you've bestowed on us tonight, and you have to know which way this is going to go for you," Emily rattled off.

By that time, they were back in the lobby with the other hostages. Sonny and Carly were huddled together with Sam tending to Max's arm. Father Ruiz was crumpled beside her, having been shot after killing one of Craig's men. She looked around at the other masked men until her gaze rested on a familiar pair of blue eyes. Jason. _How did that happen_, she wondered silently. He nodded silently, prodding her to go on. Their tirade was distracting Craig and the others. He just needed a little more time.

"I think I've heard enough," Craig threatened. "Another word and you die."

"Okay," Emily smiled. "Killing me cuts down on your human shield count, so go ahead. I should warn you though, I don't think that anyone else will have the same kind of leverage I do. I mean, you mostly have mobsters left in here and a few hotel staff members that no one even knows. I'm a doctor and a member of one of the two wealthiest families in town."

"And the other wealthy family," Lucky added, "happens to be a part of my family. And you know she was married to my brother – the rich one – so that might help too."

"So, the rich doctor's life matters more than Sweet Sam over there?" Craig asked, aiming his gun at where Sam was crouched over Max.

"Do I think that personally?" Emily inquired as if to actually ponder his question. "No. But that's not the way the world works, is it, Mr. Craig? We both know that money talks and power walks. No one cares if she dies. She has no family here." 

Everyone in the room knew that wasn't true, that Sam had the Cassadine family as her own and that she was the love of Jason's life. However, Craig had no idea what her value was. "You do raise an interesting point, Dr. Emily," he agreed. "Alright, for the sake of human shield you stay alive."

"Great," she deadpanned. "So, now what?"

For the first time all night, Craig was quiet, and it was clear that even he didn't know what was next.

"Lulu?" Dillon asked as he came back to where she was sitting. "Do you think you feel up to talking to Mac yet? He really wants to ask you some questions."

The blonde looked at Elizabeth and then her brother. She nodded slowly, trying to muster the courage to relive the past 10 hours. "Okay," she relented as she took his outstretched hand.

Nikolas put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Lu, just answer what you can. If you start to feel like you did earlier, stop for a second and take a deep breath," he told her carefully. "If it is still too hard, Dillon will get you out of there. If Mac gives you any trouble, he'll come get me."

Dillon nodded. "I won't let you fall away," he promises, leaning close so that he could whisper the words into her ear.

Elizabeth smiled up at her supportively. "Good luck, honey. We'll be right here if you need us."

Nikolas took Lulu's place next to Elizabeth as they watched her walk away with Dillon. The young girl seemed brave on the outside, but they could both see through it. They knew that she was still terrified inside, praying that she wouldn't become like her mother. She had seen things tonight that no one should ever see, and with her family's medical history, the fear that she could become catatonic was very real.

"I hope she's okay," Liz murmured as she leaned against Nikolas. He encircled his arm around her back and laid a kiss on her hair.

Nikolas looked back across to the Metrocourt. "We'll find a way to make it okay," he said. "The only thing I'm worried about is if we lose anyone tonight. If Lucky or Carly doesn't make it out, Lu could lose it pretty easily."

"And Emily," Liz added. "I don't even know how I'd react…but Lulu is so fragile. She lost a part of her strength when she had the abortion. I recognize that empty void in her eyes. It's the same one I felt after I lost both of my babies through miscarriage."

"She had the hardest time of any of us when my mom went back to Shadybrook," he remembered. "I just lost Laura all over again. I'm not going to lose Lulu, too."

"You won't," she promised with a long yawn. "I know I wanted to stay here and wait for them to come out, Nikolas, but my body has had it. For the baby's sake, I really need to go home and rest."

"You should get some sleep. It's what they would both want," he declared, jumping from the vehicle. He went and talked to Epiphany, informing her about Liz's departure. As he came back, he watched as she closed her eyes and leaned against the ambulance door.

"Come on, Baby's Breath," he murmured, taking her hand. "I'll drive you home."

"You should wait here for Emily."

"It's what Lucky would want."

"And what about you? What do you want?"

"I want to take you home," he answered. "This is what I want."

"I know this is hard, but can you go through it one last time," Mac asked. He scanned his notes on Lulu's testimony, well aware of its many holes. "How many gunmen were there? What hostages are left? Were there any other injuries?"

Lulu answered his questions slowly, going through the motions without feeling anything. After a few more questions, she felt her insides starting to shake. Dillon noticed the shift immediately, grabbing her hand and squeezing it with support.

"Lulu, do you know what was in the briefcase? Did Craig ever mention it?" Mac asked.

Images of a gun pressed against her forehead flashed through her mind. She could feel the cold metal, smell the distinct aroma of the weapon. She could hear Robin's cry as she was shot, could feel the aftershocks of the gun firing. Then, as easily as the memories had come, her mind went blank. She stared ahead, unable to say anything.

"Lulu?" Mac repeated.

Dillon pushed Mac away gently and stepped in front of her. Kneeling on the ground before her, he placed both hands on either side of her face and stared into her empty blue eyes. "Lulu, look at me," he stated. Still, no response. "Lulu, it's me. I'm here, look at me." He thought he saw a flicker of familiarity but she still wasn't there. "Lesley Lu Spencer, look at me!" he implored, his voice a hoarse whisper. "Look at me, baby, look at me!"

Finally, she looked at him, her eyes shifting back into focus. Tears started to fall easily down her face as she collapsed against him, hiding her face in his sweater so that no one could see her cry. Dillon looked over her shoulder at Mac. "Get Nikolas," he mouthed.

"Things inside the Metrocourt seem to have quieted down for the time being," a reported recited on the screen. "Four hostages have been able to flee to safety. While their names are not being released at this time, officials say that they are being isolated for questioning. All four appear to be in good health. There still has been no update on the two earlier releases, Dr. Robin Scorpio and Dr. Alan Quartermaine. They were rushed to General Hospital in critical condition, suffering from a gunshot wound and a heart attack respectively."

"Shut it off," Robin barked, tired of hearing them constantly replaying the night's events for the entire world to gawk at. She had always hated television news, but this had only solidified her bad feelings. No one would understand what happened in there other than the hostages, and she had been one of them. Knowing that everyone was glued to their televisions, living vicariously through the gory details, it sickened her.

"Do you think we could talk for a minute?" Patrick asked once he had flicked off the television set. She nodded earnestly as he took his chair next to her bed. The nurses had been a few minutes before to change her dressing and set up another blood transfusion. "I feel like there are a few things I should say to you now that you're awake."

"What is it, Patrick?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I really am in love with you," he said. "I know that you doubt it sometimes, and maybe a part of me did too. But from the moment I found out that something had happened to you, I knew what you meant to me. I'm sorry that we fought before, that I refused to get tested. I should have realized that what happens to me doesn't just affect me. It has everything to do with."

"I want to share my life with you, Patrick," she said softly. "All of your life, all of you. I can't have you running away when things get hard. I need to know that you're going to be there with me through everything. I don't want to doubt that I have your love anymore. It's too hard."

"I've been selfish in so many ways, and we both know how blind I've been. Robin, you made me believe in something that I was so scared to recognize. You made me know that there is such thing as true love. Many women have tried but only you were able to get through all the façade to make me realize just how much I need you."

"I was scared too," she pointed out. "But you convinced me that I could trust you. In time, I did trust you, more than anything. I don't want to have that thrown back in my life."

"I am so sorry," he wept, leaning across the bed to kiss her sweetly. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," she said. "Just don't do it again."

"Never," he whispered as he reached into the pocket of his blue scrubs. Fingering the object, he took her hand and looked into her eyes. Seamlessly transferring it from his finger to her left ring finger, he kissed her again. "Robin Scorpio, will you be my wife?"


	10. Chapter 10

"Robin, I think I just asked you to marry me."

She looked at him with a puzzled face. "I heard you, Patrick," she retorted carefully, "I'm just not sure I believed you. I mean, we are talking about Dr. Patrick Drake, the king of bachelors. You'll have to forgive me if I'm confused."

"I just declared my undying love for you, and you're questioning my commitment? I thought you understood that I am in love with you, that I want to share my life with you."

"I've heard this line before about the apartment. We both are under a lot of stress given the drama of the past 12 hours. I don't want you to propose to me and regret it later. You've taken things back in the past, but this one, I don't think our relationship could recover."

He reached for her hand, brushing his thumb over her knuckles until it rested on the ring. "This ring should tell you everything you need to know," he said softly. "It's not just any ring, you know? It belonged to my mother. There is no single material thing in this world that means more to me. It's all I really have left, and I am entrusting it to you, just like I have done with my heart."

A single tear slipped down her cheek, the first one she had shed since entering General Hospital. Not even the terror of the hostage situation had brought on a similar wave of terror. "Do you mean it?" she asked, almost pleadingly. "Do you really want to marry me?"

He nodded silently, his own eyes wet. "I want to be your husband more than anything in the world, more than I've ever wanted anything actually. Other than being a doctor, you're the only thing I've ever fought to have in my entire life. Don't take that away from me."

"I could never do that."

"Are you saying…?"

"I'm saying," she giggled, interrupted by his lips on hers. She opened her mouth to allow him to deepen the kiss. He rendered her speechless for a few moments, not an easy feat by any measure. When he finally broke away for air, she finished saying what she needed to say. "Yes."

"Sorry to bring you back over here," Mac stated as he led Elizabeth and Nikolas back toward the ambulance where Dillon and Lulu were still huddled. "Lulu is in pretty bad shape. Dillon is in there with him, he seems to be keeping her head above water for now. He wanted you to come."

"Hey, Lulu," Nikolas said as he leaned over the edge of the vehicle, reaching out to cover his sister's hand.

She looked at him distantly, almost as if she didn't recognize him for a moment. "Nikolas?"

"It's me, Lu," he assured her. "Elizabeth is with me."

"Hi, sweetheart," Elizabeth greeted her warmly, her maternal instincts automatically kicking in. "Why don't I come sit with you for awhile so that Dillon can help Nikolas with something?"

Lulu nodded slowly. "Okay," she agreed before shifting her eyes to Dillon. "Just hurry."

"I will," he promises, kissing her forehead tenderly. "I promise I'll hurry."

Nikolas and Dillon left the two women alone, walking to the edge of the chaos to steal a minute alone. "How bad did it get?" Nikolas inquired worriedly, well aware of the fear in the young man's eyes.

"She couldn't hear me, Nikolas," he uttered. "I was there, trying to get through to her, and she couldn't hear me. Mac wanted her to answer a few questions again, and she lost focus. I could feel her literally breaking down in my arms, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I couldn't save her."

Dillon turned around, stomping his foot with frustration. He laced his fingers behind his head and squeezed his eyes tight, unsure of what else to say. Nikolas watched him with concern, knowing what was going through Dillon's mind. "You did save her," Nikolas told him. "You are the one that got through to her. No one else would have been able to do that. Dillon, she needs you more than ever. I need you to be strong for her, to be there for her. I am not going to be enough."

"I went in there and gave my life for Lulu. Nikolas, standing out there, I realized that she is everything to me. For so long, I thought Georgie was the love of my life, but your little sister, she is it for me. She is where my heart begins and ends. You don't have an epiphany like that and let it go without the fight of your life."

"Then, you go and tell her that. You tell her exactly how you feel because that is going to be what she lives for. She has been in love with you for a long time. All she wants is to be with you."

The blonde man looked at him, biting hard on his bottom lip. He didn't say anything as he left Nikolas alone, slowly walking back toward the ambulance. Nikolas looked at his feet and said a silent prayer to his mother, asking her to watch over them both. By the time he looked up again, Dillon was sprinting. A second later, he disappeared out of sight only to be replaced by Elizabeth a few moments later.

"How is she?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "It's so hard to tell, Nik. I wish that I could come and tell you that she was going to be fine, but you know that I can't lie to you. I'm scared for her."

"You know, I just told Dillon that he needed to go tell her how he felt because that is going to be what she lives for. Looking at him, I knew that he was in love with her and that she has been waiting to hear that for so long."

"If tonight has taught me anything it is that honesty is important," she said. "I've told so many lies over the past few months, most notably about the baby. I'm going to have to start telling the truth, just like Dillon. It's not going to be easy."

"Nothing worth it was ever easy," he mused.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

"I know you, Nikolas," she reminded him. "I know when you're hiding something, and right now, there is a whole lot that you're not saying."

"Please, not now," he implored, wanting to push her away for the first time in as long as he could remember. They had been through so much that night, and he wasn't sure that he wanted to add life-altering revelations to the list. What he had to say not only had the power to change his life but also three people that he loved more than anything. "I can't say it."

"Then, I will," she said boldly. "You're thinking about the kiss, wondering what it meant. Nikolas, I felt it, too."

"Emily and Lucky…"

"Tonight changed everything for me, Nikolas. It made me realize my priorities and reminded me just how much I believe in fate. It wasn't Lucky that was trapped with me, it was you."

Nikolas looked around him until his eyes met her familiar gaze. "I don't want to lose anything."

"You could be gaining everything."

Lulu was staring vacantly at the blanket across her lap when Dillon rejoined her in the back of the ambulance. "Hey," he murmured, kissing her forehead as he slid next to her.

"Hi," she said with a small voice. "I'm so tired."

"Do you want me to take you somewhere so that you could get some rest?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I should stay until Lucky and Emily are out. Or maybe I should go back to Wyndamere with Nikolas. Why is it suddenly so hard to make a decision?"

Dillon pushed hair away from her forehead. "Why don't you come home with me? I'll take you back to the mansion, and you can just sleep."

"I don't know," she hesitated. "Georgie might get mad."

"Lulu, I don't give a damn about Georgie!" he shouted, causing her to recoil slightly. "I only care about you. I am in love with you, I want to be with you. No one else matters to me right now except you."

"Promise you won't leave me."

"I already promised you, and now, I'm promising you that I won't break my vow. I will tell you that as many times as you need to hear it, but you need to know that it is not something that is going to change. I fully intend on spending the rest of my life with you, and considering that I'm only 19, that's a pretty long time."

"Take me home," she pleaded urgently. "I don't want to be here anymore."

Taking her hand, he helped her from the car and led her away from the group. Mac stared wordlessly as the young couple quietly left the scene, clinging to nothing but each other. He thought about the days when Dillon had looked at his daughter like he was gazing at the young blonde. He couldn't remember a time when the young Quartermaine had ever stared at Georgie quite like he was looking at Lulu now.

Dillon gave Nikolas a brief explanation, allowing her a moment alone to say goodbye to Elizabeth. After hugging her brother, Lulu followed Dillon toward the waiting town car and then eventually into the Quartermaine mansion. Alice nodded worriedly when Dillon said that they were going upstairs. He sent Lulu ahead of him so that he could get details about his uncle. Once he had heard about Alan's surgery, he followed her upstairs to his bedroom. She was collapsed in the middle of his spacious bed when he quietly closed the door behind him. Crawling in beside her, he wrapped his arms around her body and held her as if her life depended on. For all Dillon knew, maybe it did.

"I'm bored," Emily complained loudly, drumming her fingers on the wood surface of the credenza.

"Yeah, me too," Lucky agreed, kicking his feet against the base of the same piece of furniture.

"Shut up," Craig growled.

"No, thanks, Mr. One," Emily smiled. "I quite prefer to talk. I mean, if we're just going to sit here and wait for our untimely demise, I'd like to at least pass the time quickly. There's nothing like waiting for death."

"I've had enough. I've told you before, now shut up."

"Like I said, no thanks," Emily shot back.

"Seriously, man, your idle threats aren't working anymore," Lucky stated plainly. "Don't you have anything new to say? I mean, we all know that the lobby is rigged and that you plan to kill us. We know you're waiting for the vault to open or whatever. Who cares? Your game is tried and tired."

"Well, aren't you cocky?"

"I _am_ a cop," Lucky reminded him. "Besides, I don't have anything to lose at this point, remember? Either way, we die. You've made that clear."

Emily shrugged. "In fact, why are we even sitting here? Since I'm going to die, I could at least make a run for it."

"We could do it together," Lucky ventured, adding a false note of excitement to his voice. "We could hold hands and run toward the door. We'd go out in a blazing glory, and everyone would think of us as lovelorn heroes."

"Well, I've always thought that if I was going to die, I'd at least want it to be interesting," she said. "I mean, this is a lot more newsworthy than cancer. I was in that bus crash that would have been good. Or the epidemic, that was noteworthy. Not to mention the train crash, I mean, the media coverage on that was insane. But this, the hostage situation, something tells me that this one is going to take the cake."

"A doctor and a cop? A rich girl and a town legacy? You know that they are going to be all over it that angle," Lucky grinned. "We'll be sainted."

"Then, let's do it!" she giggled, clapping her hands giddily as she jumped up. She looked around the room at her brother before reaching for Lucky's hand. "But before we do, Mr. One, I want to tell you thank you. If it wasn't for you, we would have never realized how we felt."

Lucky looked at her, knowing that it was the only honest thing they had said in quite some time. "Without you, we might still be hung up on our exes. Now, we can move on to our new life with each other."

Emily was the one to look at him next, getting the hidden meaning in what he had just said. She knew that it would be difficult to tell Elizabeth and Nikolas everything that had happened, but they couldn't go back. No one had expected for it to take something this catastrophic to finally bring them together, but it had. And there was no way either of them would let it slip through their fingers.

"Stop!" Craig yelled, pointing the gun straight at Lucky. Loading the bullet into the barrel over the silver revolver, he smiled menacingly. "This ends now for you."

"I don't think so," Emily said smartly as Jason stepped behind Craig.

The empty popping of a bullet going into the British man's back was the only sound in the room for a few moments before he gurgled his final words, "Now." Within seconds, the entire room was in chaos as the Metrocourt exploded, sending violent flames against the eerily calm dawn sky.


	11. Chapter 11

It had been a long day for Tracy Quartermaine, and by the time she came back to the mansion that night, her entire body was wracked with exhaustion. She had spent the majority of the past few hours traveling back and forth between the Metrocourt and General Hospital, alternatively checking on Alan and Lulu. Once she had gotten confirmation of Lulu's exit from the hotel, she had stayed with Alan. Now that he was stable, at least for the time being, she had elected to come home to change clothes, brush her teeth and catch a quick nap before she started the routine all over again.

Slowly trudging up the grand staircase with her discarded heels in her hand, Tracy finally started to allow herself to worry about Luke. She knew that he was likely still inside, trying to find Emily and Lucky. A part of her wished she had been there to try to convince him not to go in, but she knew that he would have done it anyway. No one got between Luke Spencer and his children, not even her. If he knew that Lucky or Lulu was inside, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do. The same tenacity gave her comfort, knowing that if it were she or Dillon, he would do the same thing.

Throwing her handbag into the plush armchair just inside her bedroom, she looked at herself in the mirror. Black soot was smudged beneath one eye, her hair unusually disheveled. Usually she was so put together, but tonight had been anything but ordinary. Standing amidst the chaos outside the Metrocourt, she had missed her mother so suddenly. She knew that Lila would have the words of comfort her family so desperately needed. And she had missed Ned, yearning for his stability in such a time. She knew that she would have to call her eldest son later to inform him once they had the results of the entire situation, but for now, she just wanted to see her youngest son, Dillon.

Quietly slipping down the hallway to his room, Tracy knocked softly before entering. When she heard no response, she pressed the heavy mahogany door open and leaned against the frame. In the middle of the bed, she could see two sleeping forms with only a mass of blonde curls above the white down comforter. As she stepped wordlessly into the room, she realized that it was Dillon and Lulu together in his bed. Ordinarily such a sight would have sent her on a ranting tirade, but tonight had changed something inside her.

She knew that Lulu would need Dillon to get through the aftermath tonight would invariably have on the young girl. There was no one else in the world she felt like she could really count on, with her father disappearing on a whim and her brothers having their own families. Dillon had become her sense of stability, her sense of home over the past year. There was no way Tracy would ever take it away when she obviously needed it most. And she had to admit, begrudgingly, that Lulu wasn't the only one who needed it.

Her son was clearly in love with the young Spencer girl, and she had learned a long time ago that there was no way she could stop either of her sons when they were in love. She could see it in the way he held her as they slept, his body positioned to protect hers. Tracy knew that Dillon had risked his life to save Lulu, and there was no way he was going to abandon her now. He knew that Lulu needed him, and as she gazed at how they were encased in each other, she was sure that the feeling was mutual.

"Ms. Tracy," Alice whispered softly behind her, resting her hand on her shoulder. "There is something you need to know."

Tracy nodded to acknowledge the maid and followed her down the hallway and out of earshot of Dillon's bedroom. She could tell from the look in the family's maid eyes that the news was bad. "Is it Alan? Is he okay?"

"Dr. Q is stable for now," Alice assured her. "Mr. Edward just called a few minutes ago and wanted me to pass along the news. The other Dr. Q is in there with him now."

"You had me worried for a minute."

"It's not him," Alice replied. "It's Mr. Luke, and by extension, his son and Emily. There was an explosion at the Metrocourt."

"I have to get down there," Tracy insisted hoarsely, suddenly incapable of feeling anything. She tried to think of who else she needed to call, probably Bobbie and Monica. They'd likely see it on the television anyhow. Then, she thought about the sleeping blonde in the other room. "Oh, no, Lulu."

"What?" Dillon asked from behind her, worry flashing through his green eyes. "What is it, Mom? What's wrong with Lulu?"

"Where is she?" Tracy asked, looking over his shoulder for the feisty blonde.

"She's still asleep. I heard your voice and wanted to come check on Alan."

"Come in the other room with me," Tracy insisted, nodding toward her bedroom. "There is something I need to tell you."

"Can you check on Lulu for me?" Dillon asked Alice before following his mother to her suite. As she sat down on the edge of the bed, hands folded in her lap, he noticed how eerily stoic and calm she was. "What is it, Mom? Just tell me."

"There was an explosion at the Metrocourt," Tracy answered. "Luke, Emily and Lucky are among the people still inside. I think Jason is probably in there, too."

Dillon covered his face with his hands, sighing deeply. "Sonny and Carly were in there, too. That makes six people that Lulu cares about, six reasons for her to lose herself again."

"Lose herself?"

He quickly told his mother about the scenes outside the hotel and how he and Nikolas agreed that Lulu needed to stay away from the drama of the hostage situation for as long as possible. "I don't think she could handle any more traumas, especially losing Luke or Lucky. She has become so close to Carly lately, and Emily has always been a part of her life. If any of them die, it is going to shatter her."

Tracy looked at her son carefully. "Then we can't tell her until we know something. I don't want her to assume the worst about any of them. It's going to be her natural tendency."

"Mom," he pleaded desperately, "I just got her back, I can't lose her now."

"We will not lose her, Dillon," Tracy reassured him, wrapping her son in a comforting embrace that only a mother could manage. "We won't lose her."

Emily groaned as the room around her turned black. She kept her eyes closed, almost afraid to open them and see the destruction around her. Her body ached from falling so hard against the floor, and she could feel something heavy on top of her. Taking a deep breath, she could smell the faint aroma of something burning in the distance. Listening carefully, it worried her how silent things were. There was the occasional cry or plea for help, but wherever she was trapped was mostly quiet.

Moving each of her limbs, she could tell that she wasn't paralyzed and really had very little pain. Turning over beneath the heavy object, she finally opened her eyes to look down to see what it was. She was relieved to see that it was Lucky hovering over her, his concerned blue eyes meeting hers. "Lucky!" she exclaimed, her arms immediately threading around his neck to bring him down to her.

"Em," he murmured as he embraced her, thankful that she was still conscious. "How are you feeling? Is there any pain anywhere?"

She shook her head, "I'm fine."

"Do you think you can walk? We need to find my dad and get out of here," he told her as he stood up. He reached down for her hand and helped her to her feet.

She nodded in response, not letting go of his hand for a moment. Lucky started to walk away but she yanked him back to her quickly. Leaning forward, she captured him in a quick kiss. He felt wet tears transfer from her skin to his as they pulled away. "I just had to know that you were really okay," she mumbled softly.

"I'm okay," he promised her. "We're okay."

She looked into his blue eyes again and nodded understandingly. "Let's go find the rest of our family," she declared bravely, trampling over the debris in search of Luke and Jason. She called out their names a few times, desperate for a response of any kind. A minute later, when she did finally hear something, she knew the voice didn't belong to her brother or Lucky's father.

"Where's Jason?" Carly asked as she Emily helped her up. Beside them, Sonny was scrambling to his feet, quickly looking over Carly to make sure she is okay. "I saw him before the explosion."

"I'm sure he's here somewhere, Carly," Sonny said. "You and Emily need to get out of here. I'll stay inside with Lucky to look for him. I want you two to leave now."

"I'm not going!" the two women shouted in unison. "I'm not leaving my brother or Luke," Emily argued defiantly as Carly declared, "Jason is my best friend. He'd never leave me here."

"They'd want you to both be safe," Lucky emphasized. "Besides, we have a better chance of finding them if we don't have to worry about you two."

"I don't want to leave you here," Carly murmured as she turned to Sonny.

Lucky didn't hear the rest of what they said as he pulled Emily off to the side. "Please, go out there and wait for me to bring them out, Em. I need to know that you're okay."

"And what about what I need, Spencer?" she asked. "I need to know that you're okay, too."

"I'll be okay as long as I know you're safe. I need you to go out and check on the rest of our family, Em. You should see your father and check on Nikolas and Elizabeth. Please do that for me."

"Fine," she relented hesitantly. "I'll check on the family, but I'm not leaving the hotel until you can go home with me. I'll find out where they all are, including Lulu, so that I can give you a full report as soon as you are out."

While it wasn't what Lucky wanted, he knew that it was the best compromise he was going to get out of Emily. "I promise I'll come out alive."

"You better," she proclaimed, leaning over to hug him again. Lucky brushed a kiss over her lips softly and smiled down at her. "I kinda think I like you in my life."

Emily begrudgingly followed Carly out of the Metrocourt amidst a cloud of heavy smoke. Soot was smudged beneath her eyes, the sound of the explosion echoing in her head. "I can't believe it's the same day," she mused as they passed through the front line of rescuers. "This morning seems like such a long time ago."

"It seems like a different lifetime," Carly retorted, running her hands through her long blonde strands. Ash fell down from her hair, fluttering to the ground like snowflakes.

"What is the first thing you are going to do when you leave her?" Emily asked as they finally made their way toward the medical personnel.

"Hug my children," Carly announced before Bobbie rushed over to hold her daughter. They both broke out into tears as they clung to each other, making Emily miss her mother. Part of her wanted to leave to find Alan and Monica, but the bigger part of her needed to stay until she knew the men were safe again.

As the mother and daughter pulled apart, Emily was easily wrapped up into the familiar embrace of the redhead. "I'm so glad you're okay," Bobbie breathed, squeezing her tightly. "Where's Lucky? Where's my brother?"

"They're still inside," Emily replied as she looked around the crowd of people. "Lucky and Sonny went back inside to look for Jason and Luke."

"Yeah," she could hear Carly explain before everything else faded away. Searching the crowd, she finally found who she was looking for. Excusing herself, she jogged to where Elizabeth was perched, a blanket wrapped around her bare shoulders.

"Elizabeth!" she cried, throwing her arms around her best girl friend. The two women held onto each other for dear life for a minute before finally pulling a part. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Me too," Liz replied. "Where's Lucky?"

"Looking for Luke and Jase with Sonny," Emily said. "They got Carly and me out and then went back in after them. He's doing okay."

"How did you hold up in there?" 

"I couldn't have made it without Lucky," Emily grinned.

Elizabeth returned her smile. "I know, Nikolas was a saint."

Emily recognized the tone in Liz's voice, knowing that she was feeling for Nikolas what she felt for Lucky. "Where is Nik?"

"Over there," Liz pointed. "He's calling to check on Lulu."

"Is she okay?"

"For now."

She started toward her ex-husband as he hung up the phone. His eyes went wide as he saw Emily, reaching his arms out to embrace her. As she wrapped her arms around him, she realized that she had never felt more like his friend. In such a reunion, she should feel elated to see the former love of her life, but her heart was still inside the Metrocourt with Lucky.

Nikolas asked a string of questions, all of which Emily answered. She explained where Lucky was, found out about Lulu and reassured both of her friends that she was fine. Just as she was about to say something, she heard a round of applause break out behind her. Turning around, she was ecstatic to see four men walking proudly from the hotel. Jason was slightly battered, with a gash over his left eye, but he was in good shape. Carly was the first to reach him, burying her face in his chest. Sonny was a few steps behind, covered from head to toe in dirt and dust. Luke was disheveled as he met Bobbie's waiting embrace, holding his little sister for a moment. Lucky was the final in the group, his blue eyes burning into Emily's.

"Lucky!" Elizabeth called, waving frantically. Nikolas stood next to her now, his hand resting on Liz's shoulder. Emily glanced at them for a second, noticing how cozy they seemed.

Lucky wasn't paying attention to anyone else, however. He was focused on his end goal, and that was Emily. She started toward him, hearing her heels clacking on the cement. He caught her in his arms briefly, holding her tightly. Closing his eyes tightly, he knew then that he would never be able to let her go.


	12. Chapter 12

Nikolas stood watching Lucky holding Emily, trying to figure out when that had happened. His own arm was encircled around Elizabeth's waist, holding the pregnant nurse close to his body protectively. He glanced up into her gentle green eyes, which were pasted directly on her ex-husband and best friend. "Where's your head at?" he whispered softly, leaning down so that only she could hear his voice.

She shook her head silently as she turned away, looking back at the smoke still pouring from the Metrocourt. "Everything's a mess," she sighed, holding her hands out to indicate the scene around them. Her eyes shifted slowly back toward where their two friends were standing and smiled sadly. "I don't know what to do from here."

He knew what she meant without any further explanation. Slipping his hand into hers, they stepped carefully back to where Lucky was still holding Emily. "How are you?" he asked his brother.

Lucky reluctantly let go of Emily and looked at Nikolas. "I'm doing better now," he admitted, looking up at Elizabeth. "How are you? How is the baby?"

"I'm fine, we're fine," she assured him. "The pain has subsided. Nikolas took good care of me and managed to somehow keep my calm. I don't know what I would have done without him in there.'

Nikolas smiled at her genuinely. "She's giving me too much credit. Elizabeth here did all the hard work. I just reminded her of a few things."

"Speaking of which," Lucky realized aloud, "have you checked on Cameron?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Your sister called."

"How is Lulu?"

Nikolas looked between the two women. "Actually, Lucky, that's probably something we need to talk about. Lulu is really having a hard time dealing with everything psychologically. Dillon is with her now at the Quartermaines. She was so tired, and I think she needs to be with him right now. He might be the only one that can get through to her and reassure her that everything is going to be fine."

"I'll go by and see her tomorrow after she has had a chance to rest. I'm sure my dad will feel better knowing Lu is with Dillon," Lucky smiled. "You know, he really loves her. I saw it out there. Seeing the fear in his eyes, I knew that he was there for the duration. He was not going to leave without her."

"And he didn't," Nikolas replied. "He brought her out and has stayed with her through everything. He's taking care of her and giving her something that no one else could right now. He's given her a safe place, both physically and inside her own head."

Lucky looked at Nikolas, and they both knew they were sharing a single thought. They both were worried that she would end up like their mother, to become catatonic like Laura. "She's going to be fine," Lucky announced, more to comfort himself than anyone else.

Emily nodded confidently beside him. "She will be," she agreed. "And until you can go see her yourself, I think that we should take you to General Hospital to get you checked out. I want to have those ribs looked at." He started to argue but Emily quickly interrupted him. "No, you're going."

"We should go check on the kids," Nikolas said to Elizabeth, suddenly realizing that neither of them had been home yet to see Cameron and Spencer. "I had Alfred take Spencer over to Audrey's awhile ago. I'm sure she could use a reprieve."

"We'll come by when I'm done," Lucky told Elizabeth, reaching out and grabbing her hand. Swinging it between them, he felt sad when the familiar pangs of desire failed to come. Leaning across, he dropped a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Whenever is fine," Liz declared before looping her arm through Nikolas'. "I really am glad that you're both okay. I don't know what we would have done if something happened to either one of you."

"We feel the same," Emily smiled, hugging her best friend tightly. She noted how Elizabeth didn't let go of Nikolas as they embraced. With a small wave, the two were gone a minute later. "It's weird."

"What is?" Lucky asked as they started toward where the police cars were lined up. He could see Sam holding onto Jason a few feet away, her dark hair almost blending into his blackened clothes. Taking Emily's hand, he realized how natural it felt to reach for her and actually have her be there.

"Nikolas and Elizabeth never let go of each other," she said, rubbing her thumb over his rough skin. "We were both standing there in front of them, and they didn't let go of each other. It was like the four of us were put into a deck of cards and mixed up, only to come out completely different than we were before."

"I guess they're like us," he said, squeezing her hand. "The four of us, we've been through so much over the years. Marriage and divorce, love and hate, health and sickness, birth and death. Tonight, we went through one of the hardest things I could ever imagine, and instead of going through it together, we went through it divided. Elizabeth was with Nikolas, and you were with me. You can't go through something like that and stay the same."

"I thought about Nikolas a lot in the beginning, but the longer you were with me, my focus shifted to us. I was worried about keeping you safe, about protecting you."

"I'm sure Elizabeth was somewhere in my mind, but in the moment, it just became about you and me. There was nothing else that mattered really other than protecting you. You were the only one I could count on."

"You've always been the only one I could count on," Emily murmured as they stopped. Mac handed Lucky a key, assigning him to a squad car a few feet away.

He guided her over, helping her into the passenger seat. When they were inside, he pushed the key into the ignition but didn't turn it. He looked over at her, resting his palms on the steering wheel. "I need to tell you something."

As soon as she looked at him, she knew what his words were. "Me, too," she assured him. Lucky knew that there were people all around him, but he didn't care. As he leaned across the seat, taking her face gently in his hand, he didn't care about anything other than the fact that her lips were against his. Sensually caressing her mouth with his own, he felt her sigh against his lips as her body went limp in his arms.

"I love you, Em," he whispered as they pulled apart, his forehead resting against hers. "I know that this is about to get a whole lot more complicated, but before it does, I wanted you to know that. The fact that I love you, that's simple."

Elizabeth's leg was shaking as Nikolas turned his dark sports car onto her block. She could see her grandmother's cozy cottage just ahead, a soft amber light pouring from the porch. As he killed the motor, she paused for a moment, grinning at him widely. "We're home," she murmured, relief finally setting in. "We're actually home."

"Yes, we are," he agreed before slipping out of the car. He jogged around to the other side before lifting her gently from the vehicle. Her body was close to his as they stood their, the sun casting a brilliant pink glow over her face. He reached up and tugged on the end of her hair playfully. "Let's go see our kids."

"Grams!" Elizabeth squealed as she rushed into the living room and into the older woman's arms. They held onto each other fiercely, tears slipping down both their faces. Nikolas watched the very private moment, knowing that he was apart of it and not an outsider. A minute later, Audrey was pulling him into their embrace, sandwiching Elizabeth between them.

"I am so glad you are okay," Audrey told Elizabeth, stroking her chestnut hair gently. "Cameron is just upstairs in his bedroom. I put Spencer in there as well. He fell asleep a few minutes ago."

"We'll be just a minute, I want to peak in on them," Liz called over her shoulder as she started for the staircase.

"Take all the time in the world," Audrey assured her. "I'll be down here when you're finished. I will make us some tea."

"Thanks, Audrey," Nikolas said as he followed Liz up the steps. When they reached the end of the dark hallway, Elizabeth leaned against the doorway as she watched her son sleep. Nikolas stepped behind her, wrapping his arms around her body until his hands rested on her womb. She rested her head back against him, and for a minute, she could pretend that they were a family and that this was natural. They were just a mother and a father, checking in on their children and waiting for another baby to come.

Cameron stirred in his sleep, rustling his blankets just enough to wake Spencer. A soft cry quickly filled the room as Nikolas' paternal instincts kicked in. Letting go of Liz, he walked into the room and effortlessly lifted his son into his arms. Cradling him next to his body, he took in the familiar scent of the child and thanked God for letting him have this one more time.

"Mommy!" Cameron squealed, throwing back his bedspread as he leapt from the bed. Cartoon trains grinned up at Elizabeth as she pulled her son into her arms.

"Oh, baby, I missed you so much tonight," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

The little boy laughed as he reached up and wiped tears from her green eyes. "Don't cry, silly," he bubbled. "You don't have to miss me anymore. You're home now."

"Yes, I am," she murmured, holding him tighter so that he wouldn't see the next wave of tears. Nikolas watched her for a few seconds before her eyes met his. "How's Spencer?"

"As perfect as always," he retorted proudly, "and asleep." Laying Spencer back into his crib, he went over to hug Cam. "We're really glad to see you."

"Yes, we are," Liz said, "but you should probably go back to sleep. I will be here when you wake up, and we are going to have so much fun tomorrow. We're going to go to the park to play all day and to Kelly's. You can eat as much ice cream as you want."

"Okay, Mommy," he bubbled, sloppily kissing her cheek. "Goodnight, Mommy. Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, Sweetheart," she replied, kissing his forehead one last time. Heading toward the door, she led Nikolas out of the room. In the hallway, she finally allowed the flood of tears to flow freely. "Nikolas," she whimpered.

He nodded knowingly, taking her into his arms again. They fell to the floor, her body wracked with sobs. "I know, just let it come," he murmured soothingly.

"I'm so tired," she cried. "I just want to go to bed."

"Then, let's put you to bed," he said. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her toward her bedroom. Discarding her in the middle of the bed, he sat next to her and drew her feet into his lap. Undoing one heel and then the other, he dropped them heavily on the floor before going toward her bureau. Pulling a nightgown from the top drawer, he handed it to her. "I'm going to go get you some tea while you change. I'll be right back."

She nodded. "I'll be here," she said as she watched him disappear. Standing up, she stretched her arms above her head before removing her silk dress. Throwing it over the rocking chair, she pulled her nightgown over her head. Slipping into bed, she was only coherent for a few more minutes before falling asleep.

By the time Nikolas returned, she was in a deep slumber, her brown curls splayed over the white sheets. Sitting the cut next to her bed, he sat in the rocking chair and watched her sleep. Clutching the gown in his hand, he brushed the silk against his fingertips. The dress was ruined and smelled of smoke, but it held a great significance to him now. As she turned over, he heard her whimper faintly, her body writhing as though she was trying to fight someone in her sleep. Quickly, he came to her side, stroking her hair as she woke up. "Bad dream?"

She nodded. "I don't want to be alone tonight," she told him, reaching up and pulling the collar of his grayed shirt. "Please stay with me. Spencer is asleep upstairs with Cameron, you can't take him home now. Just stay with me tonight."

"I guess I could sleep on the floor," he agreed.

"I'm asking you to stay with me, Nikolas. Sleep with me, just this one night. We're not going to do anything, and I know that all of this is going to be gone tomorrow. I just want us to have this." He didn't say anything as he slipped out of his shoes and threw his smoke-scented trousers in the corner. Pulling off his white button-up shirt, he stood in front of her with only a white undershirt and boxers. "It's okay," she assured him, pulling back the edge of the quilt so that he could slip in next to her. He went to lock her bedroom door, afraid that Cameron would walk in on something that would hurt him. Crawling in next to Elizabeth, he felt her body relax in his arms as he sidled next to her. Resting his chin on her shoulder, she reached down and covered his hands with her own on her stomach. "It's finally okay."

Lulu stirred in her sleep, unsure of where she was for a moment. Looking around the dark room, she wasn't sure if she was still at the Metrocourt briefly before remembering that she was at the Quartermaine mansion. Next to her, she could feel the heaviness of Dillon's body on the mattress. Lying back down, she turned toward him and watched him sleep next to her. Running her hand lightly down his smooth cheek, she was in awe of just how beautiful he was. It was strange to think of a man as beautiful, but Dillon Quartermaine was absolutely the most breathtaking thing she had ever seen.

"Hey," he greeted her sleepily, his fingers reaching up to intertwine in hers. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Better," she avowed, bringing his hand up to kiss his knuckles. "You took care of me."

"I got us this far, and now, you're going to have to help me with the next step. You're going through a lot, I know that, but you're going to have to fight for us, too. You need to stay here with me, Lu. As much as I wish I could, I can't love you enough for the both of us."

"I love you so much, Dillon," she confessed. "I'm going to try to fight. I know that's not perfect, but I'm praying that it's enough."

"I love you, too."

"I know, and I'm not sure how that happened. After this summer, I didn't think that you would ever be able to even look at me, but you did. You didn't abandon me, even after I ruined your marriage and aborted our child. You stayed by my side, helping me deal with losing my mother again. You worked with me to solve Rick Webber's death, even though it ruined any last chance you had with Georgie."

"It didn't ruin a chance I had with Georgie. It gave me this chance with you," he told her. "When you were in there, there was a single moment that flashed through my mind. I remembered the day when you told me you wanted an abortion and that I called you a selfish bitch. I hate that I said that to you, I wish that I could take it back. I didn't mean it, even then, but I regret that those words ever passed through my lips."

"Out of everything that has happened between us, I think that's the moment that killed me the most," she admitted. "I felt like you hated me, and that scared the hell out of me. If I didn't have you, I didn't have anyone. My father was gone, Lucky was strung out and Nikolas was dealing with finding out that he was a father. You were the one place I could go, the one person I could count on. And you know what, even after you said that, a part of me knew that you still were."

"You are the most important person in the entire world to me, Lesley Lu Spencer," he retorted. "We have a bond that no one else will ever be able to understand. We are apart of each other. You have hurt me more than anyone has ever hurt me in my life, pushing me far beyond limits I didn't even know I had. But you've also made me happier than anyone else, giving me more love than I knew was possible."

"I need you, Dillon, and every time I've needed someone in the past, they've left me. But not you, you've stayed the entire course. Every single time I have ever needed you, you have been there, even when you were angry and didn't want to be."

"I've always wanted to be there," he promised. "And I can pretty much guarantee that I will always want to be there."

"How do you do that?"

"What's that?"

"Love me in despite of everything I have ever done to you," she said.

"Because I do," he said simply. "And that's all there is. I just love you."

"God, I love you so much," she whispered, her lips crashing to his, initiating a familiar pattern. "I love you," she repeated. "I love you, I love you, I love you."


	13. Chapter 13

"I want to do this now," Patrick whispered some time later, as they lay together watching the sun peak above the horizon through the single window in her private hospital room. Careful to avoid the tubes attached all over her body, he held her gently in his arms, periodically rubbing her hand absently or dropping a kiss on her silky hair. "I don't want to wait to marry you. I want to do it tonight."

Robin pulled away, cocking her head to the side so she could look into his eyes. She looked for a hint of doubt in his gaze, but there wasn't any. He was serious. "You're really sure about this, aren't you?"

He nodded, his chin bumping the top of her head. "I'll make the call, get anyone you feel like you need here. I just want my father here. We don't need anything much. We can do it in the chapel here. I'm sure Father Coates would come over."

Threading her fingers through his, she thought for a moment. She would need Mac here to walk her down the aisle, which would be difficult considering she was still far too weak to walk. And she would want the girls here to stand up with her; Georgie and Maxie were the sisters she would never have. Of course, she would want her parents there ordinarily, but they were on the other side of the world on some mission. Mac had called and left a message for her mother, but Anna was unable to come back. Once he had reassured her that Robin was stable, she had once again fallen off the radar.

"Okay," she agreed brightly, smiling up at him. "I want to call my uncle and the girls, they're the only family I have here. I think just our immediate family is the way to go with this. Maybe we can have a dinner in a few weeks when I get out of the hospital to celebrate. I'm sure there are other people we will want to share this with, like Sonny and Nikolas."

Patrick jumped off the bed, pumping his fist in victory. "We're really going to do this!" he exclaimed in disbelief. Robin grinned and nodded silently. Leaning over the bed, he took her face firmly in his hands and kissed her hard on the lips. "I am so happy we're going to do this."

"Me too," she said as he handed her the telephone. She dialed the number from memory, waiting patiently for someone to pick up on the other end of the line. When she finally heard his voice, Robin could feel the salty tears prickling her eyes. "Uncle Mac, I need you to come to the hospital."

"What's wrong? Are you okay"

"No, I'm fine," she assured him. "In fact, I'm better than fine. I'm getting married."

"Patrick proposed?"

"He did."

"I can't wait to celebrate this with you. Congratulations, Sweetheart."

She smiled to herself, running her free hand along the smooth tube connecting her to a bag of blood. "Actually, we are going to get married today," she revealed hesitantly.

"Are you sure that's the best thing? You just went through something pretty traumatic."

"Exactly," Robin retorted. "I realized tonight just how much I love Patrick. Why delay the inevitable? I know that I am going to spend the rest of my life with him. I just want to start that life now." Patrick looked over at her fondly and winked, bringing another wide smile to her beautiful face. "Please, I need you to support us on this."

"Of course I will," he promised. "If this is truly what you want, I will do whatever you need me to do. You are like a daughter to me, Robin. I just want you to be happy."

"I will be," she avowed. "As long as you and the girls are here, I will be happy. You're my family – you, Maxie and Georgie. I need you to be here with me."

"We'll be there within the hour," he told her before ending the call.

Robin replaced the receiver on its cradle and looked up at him. "It's all set. An hour from now, I will be your wife, Dr. Drake."

Four hours had passed before Emily and Lucky were able to leave General Hospital. They had managed to secure fresh clothes thanks to Monica, and now, they were sitting in Lucky's squad car trying to figure out what to do next. The silence between them was comfortable as they both stared ahead at the brick wall. Finally, Emily turned to Lucky. "We have to tell them. There's no way around it. I don't want to hide it, and I can't lie to them about it, either."

"I would never hide my love from you," Lucky said, looking over at her. "I love you, Dr. Emily Quartermaine, and I am very proud of that. There is no way I would ever ask you to lie about how I feel about you or how you feel about me. Other than Cam and the baby I am having with Elizabeth, there is nothing in the world that matters to me more than you."

"You're a father to her children," Emily mused, raking her fingers through her hair nervously. "I hadn't even thought about that."

"Don't do that," he ordered her softly, bringing her hand away from her face. "Do not worry about that. No matter how angry Elizabeth gets, she would never keep my children away from me. She's not like that."

"I know, I just hadn't thought about how complicated this all is going to be. I knew that it would affect Liz and Nikolas, but I guess I had blocked the kids out. Cam, Spencer, the baby…"

"If it makes it easier, I'll tell them on my own. You won't even have to be there. You can go home and sleep. By the time you wake up, it will all be over."

"I could never let you do that, but it means a lot that you would do it for me," she replied. "No, we're in this together, so I have to be there. They are my friends, too. Elizabeth is my best girl friend, and Nikolas is my ex-husband. She's your ex-wife and your brother. I don't think we could be more intertwined if we tried."

Lucky half smiled. "It would be easier if they were two people we didn't care about anymore, but they're half of us in so many ways," he remarked.

Emily shrugged. "Like everything else, it is what it is. We have to do this, and we need to do it now. I know that you're probably anxious to see Cameron. Why don't we go over there now so you can visit him? We can tell them before we leave."

"It's a plan," Lucky mumbled before putting the car in reverse and heading toward Audrey's house. The route was familiar, one he had walked and driven more times than he could count since his adolescence. So many times, he had been exhilarated as he turned onto her street, knowing it would be just a few minutes since he held her. This time, however, he felt anxious as they neared her house, knowing it was time to finally let her go.

Elizabeth stretched her body in the bed, languishing in the silence of her bedroom. She could feel Nikolas asleep behind her, the steady inhale and exhale of his breath tickling her skin. His face was buried in her neck, his arms still around her body. She leaned back against him, trying to hold onto the private moment for as long as she could.

His familiar eyes fluttered open, framed beautifully by his dark lashes. Dropping a simple kiss on her bare shoulder, Nikolas smiled sleepily. "You're awake," he greeted her huskily, his voice full of emotion. Waking up with Elizabeth in his arms felt so right. Since he had shared the moment with her last night in the doorway of the room where their children were sleeping, he had known that this moment was inevitable. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby," she admitted as Nikolas rubbed his hands over her stomach. She could feel the baby respond to his touch, kicking lightly against her abdomen. "She already knows your touch."

"You have to tell him, you know," he said softly, knowing that she would understand. "We have a lot of things to tell them both, but I think this might be the most important.'

"He's going to hate me."

"Maybe," Nikolas said truthfully. "I don't know."

"You hated Jax and Carly," she pointed out, "and you weren't even in love with them."

"You're right, I was very angry about that," Nikolas agreed.

"I hate it when you're honest."

"Well, then maybe you should brace yourself because I'm about to be honest again," he murmured as she turned over in his arms. "Elizabeth, I know that we said that this would only be one night, but I can't do it. I can't watch you walk away to another man, not after everything we've been through. I know that Lucky is going to end up hating me, and it literally breaks my heart that this is going to hurt Emily. But I can't just let you go."

"What if I don't want you to let me go," she asked. "Everything you're feeling, I'm feeling it too, Nik. I know that I have to tell Lucky, just like I know that we have to tell Emily. I was scared thinking about telling him alone, but I don't have to do that now. I have you. I'm sorry that I lied to him for so long, but I'm not going to apologize for how I feel about you."

"And how do you feel about me?"

"You know."

"Say it."

"I want to be with you, Nightmare Nikolas."

He laughed at her reference. "There's more."

"And I am in love with you."

"I love you, too, Baby's Breath," he mumbled against her lips as he invaded her mouth. The moment quickly deepened as he rolled her on top of him. His hands traveled up and down her back, slipping easily beneath the gauzy material of her nightgown. Her skin was soft beneath his touch and smelled faintly of peaches. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders as she leaned down to take his mouth with hers again. Moaning softly with pleasure, she leaned back on her heels as he sat up to remove his shirt. Admiring his body, she ran her index finger lightly down his well-defined chest. Bringing her crashing down against him once again, they went back to kissing until a knock at the door interrupted them.

Elizabeth shot up immediately, covering her mouth guiltily. Things had gotten out of control so quickly. "Who is it?"

"Mommy, Spencer is awake!"

"Give me a minute and I will be right in," she told Cameron.

Nikolas climbed off the bed, stepping back into his pants and pulling on his shirt. Elizabeth wrapped her soft chenille robe around her pregnant body and leaned against the door, waiting for Nikolas to finish dressing. Just as they were about to go out, Nikolas pressed flat against the solid wood. Lifting her up so that her legs wrapped around his strong torso, he kissed her again hungrily. "We are going to finish this later," he promised before setting her back now, "but right now, we're going to go have breakfast with our kids."

"Our kids," she repeated, liking the sound of it. She followed him down the hallway, listening to Cameron's bubbly voice talking soothingly to the baby. Stepping in front of Nikolas, she lifted the baby from the crib and cradled him to her body. Nikolas scooped up Cam, balancing him on his hip while kissing his son hello. Guiding her down the staircase toward the kitchen, neither of them noticed Audrey's shocked look as they sat down together at the table. She couldn't believe how much like a family they already seemed.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this," Dillon said breathlessly as Lulu rolled over on top of his sturdy frame, ceasing control of the situation. Reaching out, she pinned his arms above his head before dipping to kiss him again. He turned his head, pulling his hands away. "I'm serious, Lulu. You just went through something horrible. I don't want to take advantage of you."

"You're not," she assured him absently, trying to entice him back to her by peeling her tee shirt from her body. "I want this, I want you."

"I just don't want to hurt you," he retorted tenderly, reaching out to stroke her hair. He palmed her cheek for a moment before she turned her head to lay a gentle kiss on the inside of his hand. Finally, she shook her head in agreement, knowing that he was right. He whispered an apology as he brought her body firmly next to his. "I'm sorry."

"You don't ever have to apologize for doing the right thing, Dillon. You are a good man who just happens to love me. I don't have a single complaint in the world."

He smiled appreciatively, knowing that she was genuine. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"I want to go to Kelly's and have a cup of coffee. I want to sit with you at our usual table and pretend just for a little bit that nothing has changed. I want to forget about what has happened for a few hours and just be a kid."

"I think we can do that. I'll even steal the Bentley for you."

"Aw, you would do that for me?" she grinned teasingly. 

"Babe, there is no limit to what I'd do for you."

"That, Mr. Quartermaine, is the sexiest thing you have ever said to me."

"Only you could appreciate my unusual charms," he laughed. Lulu jumped off the bed and pulled on her jeans. Dillon followed suit, dressing in his familiar uniform of faded jeans and a distressed vintage shirt. Yanking one of his worn hoodies from the closet, Lulu threw it on over her head and pulled her long blonde hair from beneath the collar. Turning around, she held her arms out in front of her. Dillon walked straight into them, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. Even if their reprieve lasted for only a few hours, for now, they were just two kids falling even more in love.


	14. Chapter 14

"This isn't exactly how I imagined my wedding day," Robin mused as she glanced at herself in the bathroom mirror. Maxie stood behind her, helping her to manage her hair into a somewhat messy French twist. Pulling a few tendrils loose around her temple, Robin smiled at her reflection. "I thought that I would be able to walk for one thing."

"It doesn't matter the circumstances, it only matters that it's happening," Georgie told her kindly. "When I married Dillon, we thought he was dying. Even if everything didn't work out, I don't regret doing it. It was a dream come true."

"I never really believed in dreams," Robin replied. "But when I met Stone, all that changed. Every time I think about how much I love Patrick, I can't help but think about Stone. He's the first one who really opened my heart."

"You know what I think?" Maxie asked as she wrapped a stray piece of hair around the barrel of a curling iron. "I think that Stone sent Patrick to you. He knows that he can't be here, so he picked someone he knew would love and care for you in a way he couldn't."

Robin thought about her first love for a moment, a reminiscent smile playing across her frosted lips. "I'd like to think that Stone would be happy for me. I miss him every single day, and I probably will for the rest of my life. Even as much as I love Patrick, I still think Stone was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"But he's not second best," Georgie commented. She was dealing with the repercussions of her breakup from Dillon still, and she didn't want to believe that you could never have anything better than a first love."

Robin shook her head. "Of course not, Patrick is the man I was made to marry," she retorted confidently.

A knock on the door interrupted the girls' moment as Mac popped his head into the room. "I brought you something," he announced, signaling for the girls to leave them alone. Maxie and Georgie each embraced Robin before leaving silently. "Here you are."

Taking the paper satchel from her uncle, she pulled out a folded nightgown. "Oh, Mac, it's beautiful," she cried, fingering the delicate lace. "Where did you find this?"

"It belonged to my mother, your grandmother," he said. "I've had it in a trunk in our attic for years, waiting for the right moment to give it to you. Since you can't wear a wedding dress, I thought that this might do instead."

"This is perfect, thank you so much," she murmured, holding it over her plaid flannel gown. "What do you think?"

"I think you will be the most beautiful bride this world has ever seen," he assured her, dropping to kiss the crown of her head. "I'll send the girls back in to help you get dressed. I'm going to go check on Patrick."

She nodded as he turned to go. Reaching out, she tugged on his cuff to stop him. "I love you, Uncle Mac. I am so glad that you raised me. I know that I have a father, but you're my dad."

With wet eyes, Mac reached back to embrace his niece again. "And you are my oldest daughter, my Robin," he said. "I have always been so proud to have raised you, but just now, what you said, I think it's the proudest I have ever been. I love you, Robin."

She kissed his cheek and swatted him playfully. "No fair making a bride cry on her wedding day," she teased. "Now, send in the girls, I have a wedding to dress for."

Lucky pulled the police car to the back driveway at Audrey's house after seeing the kitchen flooded with light. Killing the engine, he looked over at Emily and sighed deeply. "Are you ready for this?"

Emily met his gaze and then looked past him at the cottage. "I don't think you're ever ready for something like this," she remarked sadly, regret evident in her voice. "Are you sure about this, Lucky? It's not too late for you to back out."

"Wait, what are you saying, Em? Are you starting to have regrets?"

She shook her head fiercely. "Not at all, not even for a minute," she assured him. "I just want to give you one last chance to back out. I'll understand, I promise."

"I'm not even about to let you get off that easy," he grinned, wishing that he could kiss her. Instead, he reached over and rested his hand on her thigh. "I am invested in this, Em, invested in you. I meant it when I said I loved you."

With one last smile, they crawled out of the car, the slam off the door echoing throughout the neighborhood. As they started up the path, Emily realized she had left her pager in the car. Since she would be on-call within the hour, she needed to make sure she had it with her. Lucky reached the door alone and peaked through the small window. Surprised at what he saw, he wasn't sure exactly how it was going to work out.

"I'm done, Mommy!" Cameron announced, dropping his fork onto his place loudly.

Elizabeth looked over at his place and nodded her permission. "Go wash your hands and brush your teeth. I'll be up in a few minutes to help you get dressed."

Cameron took off running toward the stairs as Liz returned to feeding Spencer his breakfast. Nikolas was next to her, reading the business section of the newspaper. Her feet were in his lap, resting comfortably against his knee. Every once in awhile, he would reach down and tickle her toes or rub her arch. A minute later, Spencer seemed to be finished as well, causing Elizabeth to gather herself up and lift him out of the highchair. Nikolas jumped up to help her, grinning as she danced the baby around the bright kitchen.

"Let me take him," Audrey said as she came into the room with an empty mug. "I don't get to spend much time around babies these days now that Cam has gotten so big. I should practice before Elizabeth has her baby. It's only a few months away."

"Alright," Nikolas agreed. "I'll be up in a few minutes to take over. Thank you for all your help through this, Audrey."

"Of course," she smiled genuinely before heading back toward the living room with Spencer in her arms.

Once they were alone again, Nikolas crossed the room and helped Elizabeth begin to clean up the table. With the dishwasher loaded and the food put back in the refrigerator, she crossed back to the window to stare out at the backyard. She smiled as she noticed the fat white flakes drifting from the sky. "It's snowing."

"It is?" Nikolas murmured as he came up behind her. Resting his hands on her hips, he enjoyed the weight of her leaning against his body. "I love the snow. It makes everything so white, so pure, so clean. It's like a new beginning."

"Kind of like us," Liz smiled as she looked up at him. A soft knock on the back door broke them out of their private reverie, and immediately, Elizabeth knew that it was Lucky. She looked up at Nikolas and frowned. "It's him."

Nikolas glanced toward the driveway and saw the police car. He could see Emily busily scrounging through her bag in the passenger seat. "She's with him."

Taking a deep breath, she pasted a fake smile on her face and jogged toward the door. "Lucky, come in!"

"Thanks," he said, shaking the snow from his hair. "Where's Cam?"

"He's upstairs with Grams and Spencer," Elizabeth replied as she offered Lucky a chair.

Emily joined the trio a minute later, dropping her pager on the table as she took the empty seat next to Lucky. Lucky looked up at his ex-wife and considered just putting out there. Maybe they could all be adults and just own up to what was going on there. As Nikolas turned to ask Elizabeth something, he knew that wasn't likely.

"You can go up and see him you want," Liz offered. "I'm sure you'd like to see Spencer, Em."

"In a minute," her best friend remarked, looking over at Lucky and then Nikolas. "I think there is something we all need to talk about first."

"I saw you," Lucky said softly, unexpectedly. "I saw you standing at the window. I saw you sitting at the table. I saw you acting like a family."

Something flashed in Liz's eyes as she looked up at him, clearly shaken. "You don't love me anymore," she retorted sadly, knowing that he already knew. "And I don't love you. We don't love each other."

Lucky looked down at his hands clasped in front of him before shaking his head. "No, we don't. Not like that, at least."

"Nothing I can say would make this right."

"He's my brother."

Elizabeth looked up at him. "She's my best friend."

"How did we get here?"

Up to that point, both Emily and Nikolas had stayed quiet. "There's more," Nikolas announced, glancing at Liz. "You have to tell him."

"You're going to hate me."

Lucky ran his fingers through his hair. "I could never hate you, Elizabeth."

"You will, but I have to tell you anyhow," she said. "Do you remember the night that I told you that it was over for good? It was the night of the blackout."

"Of course I remember."

"Well, I got in my car and started to drive, not really sure of what to do next. I ended up at Jason's, and we ended up sleeping together."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Just listen," Nikolas told his brother.

"When I found out that I was pregnant, I wasn't sure whose the baby was," Liz said. "I mean, I assumed it was yours until I heard about the faulty condoms, and then I didn't know."

"The baby isn't mine, is it?"

Elizabeth shook her head sadly, her eyes dropped shamefully. "I'm sorry."

"You should be," Emily hissed. "You knew what this would do to him. You knew, and you lied about it anyhow."

"Come on, Em," Nikolas said. "It's between them."

"Apparently not, Nikolas," she spat, "because you already knew. And not that it's any of your business, but I happen to be in love with Lucky. What happens to him, happens to me."

"I can't believe you would do this to me," Lucky sneered, white-hot rage pulsating through his veins. "How could you lie to me like that for months?"

"I didn't want you tog o back to drugs."

"Well, thankfully for me, I am no longer your concern," Lucky shot back, standing up and heading for the door. "Come on, Emily. I need to get out of here."

"What about Cam?"

"I don't want him to see me like this. I will call you when I have calmed down and arrange to see him. Right now, I just need to get the hell out of here."

"Lucky, please."

"You are my brother," Lucky said, looking Nikolas straight in the eye. "You are my brother, and you knew this and kept it from me. I would never do something like this to you."

"Lucky, I just found out…"

"But you knew she slept with Jason."

"How did you know?"

"I didn't," Lucky replied sadly. "You just told me."

"Just sit down, we can talk this out."

"You were more than family, Nik, you were my best friend."

And with that, Lucky slammed the door behind him. Emily was still frozen in her place, not sure exactly what she was supposed to do. She looked at Nikolas and Elizabeth for a moment, and for the first time in more than a decade, they were strangers to her. "You did this," she said to Elizabeth as she left. "You did this."


	15. Chapter 15

Lucky was sitting in the passenger seat of his police car when Emily returned, his head lying against the headrest. She could see droplets of tears falling down his face, barely managing to escape from his clenched eyes. Emily opened the door quietly, not sure what kind of reaction she could expect. Sliding into the seat, she looked over at Lucky expectantly. Without opening his eyes, he handed her the keys and stated bluntly, "Drive."

"Where to?" she asked with a small voice, staring straight ahead at the steering wheel.

"Just drive," he repeated, turning his head away so that she couldn't see the tears that were still flowing so easily.

Emily hesitated for a moment before shoving the key into the ignition, closing her eyes in desperation. She wasn't sure where to go as the engine came to life, instantly setting awkward silence to ease. Backing out of the driveway, she turned in the opposite direction of town, electing instead to head toward the water. Flipping the radio onto the local blues station, she immediately recognized the song as one Luke had played a lot when they were kids. She would go visit Lucky at Luke's club where they would play pool during off hours and play upstairs in the office when it was open. "I remember this song," she murmured, drumming her fingers in rhythm to the sultry tune.

"It's one of my dad's favorites," Lucky acknowledged, his voice slightly strained from the silent sobs he had been suppressing. Emily reached over and brought one of his hands from his face, weaving her fingers in his. She didn't say anything else, just let him cry and stare out the window without completely pulling away from her. She knew if she could just hold on long enough, Lucky would come back to her. 

A few minutes later, she pulled the car into an empty lot and shut off its engine. "We're here," she announced, reaching into the backseat for her parka. Pulling it around her body, she jumped out of the car and hurried around to meet Lucky.

He stepped out of the vehicle and looked around, a slow smile creeping across his face. "The pier," he mused, looking out across the water and toward the row of concession stands that lined the outer bank.

"I told you that I wanted a grape snow cone," she said softly, pulling him after her. They walked beside each other in silence until they reached the stand, where Emily promptly ordered two snow cones. It was the middle of winter, but as soon as she bit in, it filled her entire body of warmth. Of course, it made no sense logically, but in her heart, it was absolutely perfect.

"You brought me the only place that would have ever made this any better," he told her as they sat down on an empty bench just at the water's edge. Emily curled up next to him, huddling against him for warmth. He laughed to himself to see her with her feet underneath her body, noting how cute and innocent she looked sitting there. "Thank you for bringing me here. I just need to get outside of my head."

"You can't run away from this, Lucky," Emily replied. "It's not what I brought you here. I brought you here to let you have some room to breathe and to remind you of just how far we've come. Look at this place, look at us."

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning his gaze from the white crests of the waves to her soulful eyes.

"This is where our friendship began. My life in Port Charles started here with you and cone full of grape-flavored shaved ice," Emily said. He noticed the tears starting to come down from her eyes. "My father died last night. I lost the person who I looked up to most in this world. I can't lose the person I love most, Lucky, I can't lose you."

Lucky dropped his snow cone as he reached to bring her to him, not caring about anything else other than having her in his arms right then. "Emily, you're not going to lose me," he whispered into her hair as she buried her face into the collar of his leather coat. "I don't know where you think I'm going, but you're stuck with me. I'm not going to be able to make it through this without you."

She pulled away and pressed her forehead to his so that she could look directly into his eyes. "You can't fall back. I'm not going to let you. I am going to need your strength to help me get through this, just like you're going to need mine. I'll go with you to meetings, and I'll listen to you when you have those 2 a.m. cravings. I will do whatever I have to do to make sure I have you in my life."

"No drugs," he said resolutely. "If I can get through this without them, I know that I can get through anything. I'm not going to lie and tell you that I don't want them because we both know that I could really use a pill right now. But looking into your eyes reminds me just how much I have to live for Emily. And right now, that begins and ends with you."

"They hate me," Elizabeth said softly as she stood still, gazing out the window to where Lucky's police car had been minutes earlier. They had watched together as Emily slipped behind the steering wheel before navigating the vehicle away from the house. Neither of them had said anything since Emily's final words, the weight of her comment shaking them both to the very core.

"They hate us both," Nikolas pointed out as he watched her carefully. He could see her shoulders trembling as she slid to the floor, drawing her knees up to her chin. In less than a second, he was beside her, pulling her into his lap. He knew that he should be as angry as Emily was at the situation, but he couldn't be. If it was anyone else, he would be the first one to speak out, but this was Elizabeth. He knew her heart, and there wasn't an ounce of malicious intent in her. She had truly believed what she was doing was right at the time.

"How am I going to explain this to Cameron?" she asked. "I still have to tell Jason. He's probably going to be angry and threaten to take the baby. I could lose my child."

"He would never do that," Nikolas reassured her soothingly. "And even if he tried, I would never let him. I will do whatever I have to do to protect you, Elizabeth. I have money and power, as much as Jason, if not more. If it comes to it, I'll take you away where he can't find us. I won't let him take your child."

"I could never do that. Even if Jason tried to fight me, I would never be able to keep my baby from their father. And it's not fair to penalize Cameron for my mistakes. He loves Lucky, and Lucky loves him. I couldn't keep them apart."

"And that," he replied, kissing the top of her head, "is why you are such an amazing mother. It would be so easy to run away, but you are going to put the welfare of your children first. I am so proud of your strength."

"If I was stronger, I would have done this sooner."

"It doesn't matter when you say it, it only matters that it gets said," he proclaimed. "You're not going through this alone, you know? You have Cameron, and you are pretty much his entire life. And you have your grandmother, who is going to love you no matter what you do. And you have me, and I promise you that I will not walk away."

"You're risking a lot here, Nikolas," she pointed out remorsefully. "I mean, he's your brother, and I'm not even going to pretend that Lulu is going to be happy about this. We both know how much Emily means to you, too. Are you sure you want to lose that because of me?"

"I'm not going to lose them," he said, "and you won't either. I know they're angry right now, but deep down inside, Emily and Lucky still love both of us. Lulu is my sister, and she takes family very seriously. She is going to be disappointed in me, I know that; however, I also know that she would never push me out of her life."

"I wish that I didn't have to do this to you. I wish I didn't have to put you in the middle. I know that it's not fair. I know that it's my fault."

"No, it's not," he insisted firmly, tipping her chin so that her eyes met his. "You didn't make me feel this away about you, you didn't make me want to stay. I chose to want to be with you. I chose to put myself in the middle. You've made your own mistakes, just like I made my own choices."

"You won't let me take any of the blame for this, will you?"

He shook his head, brushing his eyelashes over her skin faintly. "I was taught to be responsible, chivalrous and graceful. In case you don't remember, I am a prince."

"Well, I am certainly not royalty."

"Maybe not," he mused, "but you're everything to me."

"You know what I want to do?" Lulu asked as they stepped out of Kelly's and into the frigid air. The blizzard had never come, but the snow had left Port Charles with piles of fresh white powder. Dillon pulled a stocking cap from his pocket and pulled it over her ears firmly, leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose.

"What's that?" he replied, reaching down to take her hand. They walked next to each other, snow crunching underfoot. Swinging their arms between them, he silently thanked God that she seemed to be doing so well.

"I want to go see my mom," she remarked, turning her face toward the sun. Warmth flooded her face as she smiled toward the sky. "I think I need to see her."

"Sure, I could drop you off for a visit and then come pick you up later."

She stopped walking and shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. I want you to come visit her with me. If we're going to be together, I can't hide anything from you, and this is a big part of who I am. Maybe if you see how I am with my mother then you will understand what I want to tell you but can't say."

"You know how amazing you are?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist, trailing her hands on the cool skin beneath her sweater.

"I didn't do anything," she giggled, leaning against him as he squeezed her tightly.

"You did everything," he replied, picking her up and twirling her around in the air. Setting back on her feet, he leaned down and kissed her. Tracing her bottom lip with his tongue, they exchanged a series of short kisses before a longer, deeper one. "You _are_ everything."

"How did I ever get so lucky to deserve you?"

"You let me fall in love with you," he answered honestly. "Lu, you are so incredible without even knowing it. You're funny and complicated in the best possible way. You're absolutely beautiful without being aware of it. You love with all your heart and fight fiercely for what matters to you. I don't admire very many people, but I admire you."

"After words like those, I'm not sure I am worthy of your admiration," she retorted, sliding her hands down to meet his.

"You are more worthy than anyone I have ever known."

She laughed inaudibly, her bright blue eyes sparkling. "You know what's crazy? I actually believe you. I've never believed anyone when they said nice things about me in the past, but when I look in your eyes, I know that you're telling me the truth. You really mean it."

"I do mean it," he avowed. "Now, what do you love about me?"

"I love that you've helped me find a home," she told him. "When I lost my mom, I never thought I could have one again, but you changed that. My home is in your eyes, where I can see love shining back at me. My home is in your arms, where I can feel your love protecting me. My home is in your voice, where I can hear your love reassuring me. My home is with you, Dillon, you are my home."

"By Robin and Patrick's request, this ceremony is not going to be long, nor is it going to be filled with empty traditions that have long lost their meaning," Father Coates said. "Instead, it is going to be as original and heartfelt as their relationship, existing simply on their own terms. As they start their new life together, who here gives them their blessing?"

"We do," Mac and Noah replied in unison, exchanging a paternal father before looking at their respective children.

"With this showing of support, Patrick and Robin will share their vows to each other."

"Hope is believing that something is possible even when there is evidence to the contrary," Patrick stated. "My entire life, I never believed that true love was possible until I met you, Robin. You changed that in me. You taught me that love, like hope, surpasses all reason. You opened my heart, changed my soul and gave me a life worth living."

"For a long time, I pushed anyone away who wanted to get close to me," Robin replied. "But then you came, and in your own stubborn way, forced yourself into my world. You wouldn't let go or give up easily, you were determined to make yourself at home in my heart. And like everything else you have ever tried, you succeeded and made me fall in love with you."

"With these words, Patrick and Robin have shown their commitment to each other in the eyes of God. An exchanging of rings will solidify their love with no beginning or end, much like the bands they will wear for the rest of their lives."

"We don't have any rings," Robin protested.

"Actually, you do," Noah said, retrieving a small velvet box from his lab coat and handing it to Patrick. "This was your mother's. I know that she would want you to have it."

Patrick flipped open the box and fingered the delicate platinum band. Taking it off its cushion, he smiled tearfully up at Robin. "I promise that I will love for the rest of my life," he avowed, sliding it easily down her finger. Neither of them seemed shocked when it fit perfectly, as everything about them did.

"And here's one for you," Mac whispered, pressing the band into her hand. "It was your father's ring when he was married to your mother. He gave it to me many years ago for this day, and I know that he would be happy for you to have it."

Momentarily forgetting they were in the midst of getting married, she threw her arms around her uncle and embraced him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered before looking back at her husband-to-be. "I promise that I will love you for the rest of my life." The ring was only slightly loose but it was close enough to make them both happy.

"What God has brought together may no one tear apart," Father Coates recited with a wide grin. "Robin and Patrick, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

The kiss was sweet and lasted for only a moment before Robin's body went limp in Patrick's arms. As they both fell heavily to the ground, Patrick knew immediately that something was wrong.


	16. Chapter 16

_Sorry it's been awhile, but sometimes life gets in the way...I just want to thank the readers and reviewers who have followed me throughout my fic, especially Ayshen (the one who I can always count on to read anything I've written!) and 2kool4skool (who just happens to usually write my favorite stories on the site). Cheers to y'all.  
_

* * *

"She's going to be alright, she's going to be alright," Georgie murmured to a weeping Maxie, who was hunched over in a chair next to her younger sister. The blonde was the only one who visibly emotional, the others stricken numb by the unexpected turn of events.

"You hear that, son?" Noah asked, resting his hand on Patrick's back. "Robin is going to be fine. She's probably just exhausted, and this is her body's way of reacting."

Patrick gaped at his father, astonished that his father seemed to momentarily forget his chosen occupation. "I'm not just another one of your patients," he reminded Noah softly, not wanting to upset the girls further. "I am a surgeon. I know how bad this is. Robin is in real trouble."

Mac was pacing steadily behind them, making a bath from one end of the row of plastic chairs to the other. His head was bent down, his eyes glued to the tiles beneath his scuffed boots. He hadn't said anything since Robin had rushed into the emergency room, electing to keep his anger at bay in fear of blowing up at the wrong person. Finally, knowing that he was on the brink of losing his cool, he asked Georgie to take Maxie downstairs to get him some coffee. Once his daughters had disappeared, he regarded Patrick gingerly. "Alright, tell me the truth. How bad is it?"

"It's not good," he answered truthfully. "Robin's immune system is so weak. Her body has been through a lot of trauma. Emily and Carly did a great job considering the elements, but it wasn't sterile by any means. It's likely that she has suffered from some sort of an infection. They won't know how bad it is until they get in to inspect her wounds."

"Dammit," Mac muttered, covering his tired face with his hands. "I knew something wasn't right, but she seemed so vibrant, so happy. I didn't want to hold her back."

"I should have known better," Patrick added. "I knew the repercussions this could have on her, and I pushed forward anyhow. I asked her to marry me, and when she said she didn't want to wait, I didn't argue. I was so desperate to give her what she wanted that I ignored what she needed."

"You couldn't have known, Patrick," Noah tried to comfort her. "I've been a doctor for thirty years, and even I didn't see it. We ran all the tests, and everything indicated that she was fine."

"I don't care what the numbers said!" he exclaimed. "I knew in my heart that she wasn't fine. I just wanted to believe that she was."

Mac looked over at him. "You're not to blame anymore than I am," Mac assured him. "If I had been doing my job better, the hostage situation would have never even taken place. Robin wouldn't have been shot, and we wouldn't be here."

"You two could play the 'What if?' game all day long, but the result is still going to be the same," Noah declared. "Robin was in that hotel, and she was shot. Patrick proposed, and she accepted. Now, they're married, and she is in that operating room fighting for her life. She wouldn't want either of you to sit here and blame yourself."

"I know you're right, but I don't know what else to do," Mac admitted. "I've spent the last decade worrying that I was going to lose her to an uncontrollable disease. Even then, I thought that I would have time to say goodbye. I never even considered that she could die in a blink of an eye."

Patrick stood up, throwing his hands in the air in defeat. "I have to do something," he decided aloud. "I want to have something to give Robin when she wakes up. I want to be able to make her feel an ounce better."

"You married her, Patrick," Mac retorted. "I'm fairly certain that is more than enough."

"No," he shook his head, "I have to take an HIV test. She's been after me for so long, and I've always told her that I needed to do it for myself. Well, like always, I was wrong. I need to do this for her just as much as I need to do it for me."

Noah and Mac watched as he strode over to the nurse's station to request a lab technician. A moment later, they could hear someone being paged to meet Patrick in a private room used by doctor's to sleep during their shifts. As he closed the door behind him, he looked back at the two worried men one last time. They saw a very quiet fear in his usually stoic eyes, indicating that maybe all was not quite right with the world just yet. In fact, until both husband and wife were given a clean bill of health, neither father was certain when it would be again.

Dillon chased Lulu toward the hospital, trying to lighten the mood before they headed into the place she had grown to hate. The pale walls were lifeless, matching the dreary mood outside. The stout nurse was posted behind the desk and nodded curtly when Lulu identified herself as Laura Spencer's daughter. They were led silently toward a hallway, left to navigate the corridor alone.

"Thanks again for coming with me," she whispered. "I know that this isn't probably what you had in mind for today, but it means the world to me."

"Being with you is all that I wanted to do today, the setting doesn't really matter," he smiled. "And if there is anything you need when we get in there, you let me know."

"I will," she promised, happy that she could truly count on him once again. As they passed a window, she stopped to peer out at the blinding white snow. "Wow, it's really coming down out there."

"Maybe we'll get lucky and be snowed in," he teased. "We'd be forced to seek refuge in a room here and be isolated from the rest of the world."

"Oh, that would be horrible," she cried sarcastically, grinning widely as she traced her finger along the solid wood pane.

He joined her at the window, watching together as the snow floated toward the ground. Glimpsing in the glass, he could see their reflection smiling back at him in the shiny surface. "I see us," he said, pointing to the window.

Lulu looked up and smiled at him in the glass, slipping her arm through his in response. "Look at them," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I only see her," he replied, kissing her blonde hair absently. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, keeping her arm looped through his as they stopped outside Laura's door. Lulu signed the chart neatly before slipping inside the room. Rocking back and forth, Laura didn't acknowledge their presence, an expected but disappointing response for Lulu. Kneeling in front of the rocking chair, she reached up and took her mother's hands in hers. Dillon stayed off to the side, perching on the edge of the bed. "Hi, Mom," she said softly. "I'm sorry it's been awhile since I've come by, but so much has been going on. I'm sure Dad will fill you in on the details if he hasn't already, which is good because I don't want to remember that right now."

"I brought Dillon with me to see you," she continued. "I think you'd like that. You had very kind things to say about him when you were back, so I'm pretty sure you liked him. I know you know that I did." She allowed her eyes to temporarily shift from her mother to him. "We're together now. I don't know that I've ever felt this safe, this loved."

"I'm still trying to figure out who did this to you, Mom. I meant what I said when I promised you that I was going to clear your name. Dillon has been helping me. I don't think I could do this without him," she admitted. "His presence has kept me from going over the edge more than once. Without him, I'd probably be making myself crazy with this mystery. Either way, we're going to figure this out."

Dillon scooted off the bed and moved next to Lulu. He leaned back on his heels and looked up at the catatonic blonde. "Laura, I think you'd be so proud of your daughter if you were here. Every single day, I am surprised by her strength. I am truly in awe of how much she can endure and still come out whole on the other end. I feel so blessed to be a part of her life."

"The most important part of my life," she corrected him. "Well, we can't really stay long. The snow is coming down, and I want us to get home before it gets too heavy. I promise that I will be by to see you sooner. I love you." Gently, Lulu laid a kiss on her mother's cheek and followed Dillon out into the hallway. They both knew the tears were only moments away when he folded her into his embrace. And as they came, he was there was again to help her hold on.

Across town, Lucky and Emily were headed slowly back toward Kelly's, neither exactly sure where they were going to call home now that their lives were changed forever. Lucky pulled the car to a stop in the back parking lot, turning off the engine as Emily slipped her coat back on over her narrow shoulders. "Let's make a run for it," he chuckled, throwing the door open and jogging around to meet her. Taking her hand, they slowly navigated through the snow-covered parking lot, glad to escape into the warmth of the cozy café.

The lights were off and a closed sign was in the door when they reached the front entrance. Slipping a keychain from his pocket, he quickly unlocked the door and let Emily through the door. Shaking flakes from her long hair, she latched the door closed again once Lucky was inside. "Looks like we have the place to ourselves," she said.

He helped her from her coat and hung it along with his on the wooden coat rack. "Apparently so," he agreed, walking toward the kitchen. He turned a single light on over the counter, not wanting to turn on too many in case anyone thought the restaurant was open. Reaching below the register, he retrieved a few candles and lined them along the surface. Striking a match, a warm glow soon filled the quiet dining room. "What do you say to some hot chocolate?"

"That would be perfect," she responded, following him into the kitchen. Filling a stainless steel kettle with hot water, she turned on the stove while he retrieved cocoa powder from a shelf.

Throwing a bag of tiny marshmallows at her, Lucky winked cheekily as he pulled a can of whipped cream from the refrigerator. "Marshmallows for you, whipped cream for me."

"You remember how I like my cocoa? How sweet!"

"And how you like your coffee," he revealed, "with a dash of cream and a lump of sugar."

"You like yours black and tinny, like the kind you can find in a gas station," she told him. "I never understood how you could drink that stuff."

"I'm a Spencer, we're not picky by nature. You kind of learn to take what you can get."

"Well, I know one thing you can get," she purred, sidling up next to you. Latching one hand around his neck, she started to pull his mouth toward hers when the kettle whistled loudly. "I guess it's hot."

"It certainly is," he agreed, his gaze not leaving hers. She bit her bottom lip and moved toward the stove. Spooning chocolate into two mugs, Lucky held them out for her to pour in the water. Once both mugs were mixed to their preference, they took them to the counter and sat closely next to each other.

"I think that this may have been the longest day of my life," Emily sighed. Lucky looked at her and chuckled, his blue eyes suddenly so alive. Confused, she couldn't figure out what could be so funny. "What are you laughing at?"

"You," he said, holding a napkin holder toward her face.

Emily glanced at her reflection and saw that a huge blob of whipped cream was now adorning the tip of her nose. She couldn't help but giggle. "Get it off."

"Gladly," he retorted, leaning forward and licking it off her sticky skin. "Though, I would much rather lick it off a different part of your body."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Spencer."

"Nothing about your body even closely resembles the gutter."

"Funny man," she replied sarcastically, elbowing him in the ribs gently. "Now, you've offended me. I'm not an object, Lucky."

He smiled at her ploy, well aware that she was joking. "Well, Ms. Quartermaine, let me extend my sincerest apologies. Whatever can I do to make it up to you?"

"Hmm," she pondered, tapping her index finger against her temple as she pretended to think. "I think a dance might be in order."

"A dance? I think I can manage that," he said, pulling a quarter from his pocket. He walked to the jukebox and scanned the playlist, finally settling on the blues song from earlier. Dropping the coin into the slot, he punched the button and turned to face her. Her eyes lit up as the opening strains of the song rang out. Pulling her into his arms, he enjoyed the riff of the slow blues guitar as she hummed along, the sound vibrating against his chest.

"This is our song now," she decided softly.

"We have a song."

"We have a we," she whispered just as his lips met hers. The kiss quickly intensified as they stopped dancing, not noticing when the room was silent once again. Her hands traveled beneath his sweater and up his strong, bare back. His fingers found a home through her belt loops, her body taut beneath his touch. After a few moments, she pulled away breathless. "We have to stop."

"Em…"

"I don't want us to make any mistakes here, Lucky," she replied. "This, us, means everything to me. I want us to do this the right way. I know that there isn't anything I don't know about you, but I think we both need some time to get used to this. You have no idea how much I want to be with you tonight, but we can't sleep together yet. It just wouldn't be right."

"Can we at least sleep together?"

"I just told you that we couldn't, weren't you listening to me?"

"No, I meant just sleep. I just want to hold you tonight, Em. I just need to have you in my arms."

She smiled and nodded before faking a yawn. "I suddenly feel very tired. What do you say we go upstairs and use the bed in your old room?"

Lucky walked over and blew out the candle. "No."

"Lucky, I said that I would sleep with you."

"That's not what I meant," he smiled as he turned off the overhead light. He could just see the outline of her body as he walked over to lead her up the stairs. "I want us to have a fresh beginning. I want to take you somewhere neither of us has ever been, and since we're confined to Kelly's because of the snow, I guess a new bedroom will have to do."

Nikolas was asleep in the living room when Elizabeth came back downstairs. His son was also asleep, his small body resting on Nikolas' chest. They looked so much a like with their dark hair and flawless skin. Leaning against the doorframe, she couldn't help but fall just a little more in love with him. He truly was a magnificent man, and she wasn't sure how she had gone so long without recognizing it.

As Spencer stirred in his sleep, Nikolas was shaken from his slumber. He looked up at where Elizabeth was watching him and smiled sleepily. "Hello."

"I just put Cameron down for the evening," she told him. "Do you want me to take Spencer up? There's too much snow for you to go back to the island tonight."

Nikolas shook his head. "Why don't we do it together?" he asked, carefully lifting Spencer. They walked up the stairs and placed the sleeping infant into his crib. Elizabeth leaned over the edge and kissed his downy hair softly while Nikolas pulled Cam's blanket up to his chin. Switching sides, Nikolas bade his son a goodnight while Liz kissed hers once again.

"Well, I think they're down for the count," Nikolas laughed as they closed the door behind them.

Liz nodded. "It's been a long day for everyone."

"Are you tired? I could sleep on the couch."

"Not yet," she assured him. "Let's go downstairs and sit by the fire. I need to unwind a bit before I try to sleep. The baby is too busy for me to sleep right now." They collapsed on the sofa next to each other, both of them enjoying the easy silence filling the warm living room. "I need to tell you something."

"Just promise me that there aren't any more secrets."

"No, it isn't that," she replied quietly. "I've told you everything."

"Then, what is it?"

She looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. "I have done so many things wrong. My choices have been poor and seemingly selfish. I know that you understand my reasons, but it doesn't make them right. I honestly don't understand how you could even want to be with me."

"We talked about this, Elizabeth. I won't pretend to be glad that you did what you did, but it's not up to me to hold it against you. My being in love with you has nothing to do with that. I fell in love with you because of your heart, and I know your intentions were good. You are a good mother, Liz, and a good woman. No matter what anyone believes, this doesn't change that."

"People are going to say horrible things about me, and I guess I actually probably deserve it. I know how difficult it is to defend what I've done. I judged Carly so horribly when she did it with Michael, but I understand why she did it now. She just wanted to protect him."

"I've managed to forgive her from keeping Spencer from me," Nikolas replied. "She was Courtney's best friend. A part of her thought she was just protecting Spencer from my family. Considering the fact that he was kidnapped by Helena, I can't say I blame her. I might have done the same thing if the situation was reversed and I was Jax."

"You couldn't do that, you have too much honor."

"Becoming a parent changes you, Liz, you know that," he said. "You do whatever you have to do to protect your child, even if it means changing everything about yourself. I would do whatever it takes if it meant keeping Spencer safe."

"I have to tell Jason."

"And you will tell him," Nikolas added. "You don't have to go through this alone; I've already told you that I'll be with you every step of the way. From here on out, everything that happens to you, happens to me. We're in this life together."

"Sam is going to be involved in this, Nikolas. I know she is your cousin, I don't want this to cause any tension between you two."

"She is going to be upset, there's no denying that," Nikolas countered. "She's my family, which matters since I don't have much of it. For the sake of Alexis and the girls, I have to get along with her."

"Of course," Elizabeth agreed, "I just wish that it didn't have to hurt her, too. She told me that she can't have a baby. I know that this is going to kill her."

"I had no idea."

"No one did when she told me, not even Jason. I'm sure she's told him by now," she revealed. "How could I have done this?"

"Stop it," Nikolas ordered firmly. "I am in love with you, and I'm not going to let you do this to yourself. You have to stop."

"I deserve this."

"You deserve to have a man who loves you and only you," Nikolas retorted. "You deserve to have someone who isn't going to cheat on you or use you to deal with his own pain. You deserve to have someone who wants to share his life with you and your children, someone who will protect you with his own life. You deserve to be happy."

"You're right, Nik. I have my family – Grams, Cam, Spencer, this baby, you…I am going to be happy," she said resolutely, "and I'm going to be happy with you."

* * *


	17. Chapter 17

Nikolas woke up early the next morning, his back stiff from a long night on the couch. Elizabeth had offered to share her bed again, but he had declined. So much had happened in the past two days that he knew they both needed time for it to process. A few hours apart might just give them the perspective they needed. He had had a lot of time to think, failing to fall asleep until somewhere near two. As he stretched his entire body and touched his toes, he was ready to not only start the day but to also begin his life with Liz.

Creeping up the stairs quietly, he padded past Elizabeth's room and toward Cameron's room. The little boy was awake and dressed, slightly mismatched with a striped sweater and plaid pants. Chuckling to himself, he scooped him up in his arms and peered over the edge of Spencer's crib. He was just stirring from full night's sleep. Setting a squirming Cam back down, he lifted up his son. "Well, boys, what do you say we do something nice for Elizabeth?"

Cameron grinned up at the tall man, nodding eagerly. "Let's surprise Mommy!" he cried, grabbing Nikolas' hand and pulling him toward the staircase.

Nikolas pressed a finger to his lips, reminding the toddler that his mother was still asleep. Heading downstairs, the three boys headed into the kitchen. Spencer was deposited into a highchair while Cameron climbed up onto a high stool Audrey left near the counter for him. Pulling ingredients from the pantry and fridge, Nikolas and Cameron set to making breakfast while Spencer munched on a handful of Cheerios. A half-hour later, a stack of fluffy pancakes were completed and set on a tray along with orange juice and hot turkey sausage.

Leaning against the sink, Nikolas looked out at Audrey's huge backyard. When he was younger, he had yearned for so many "normal" childhood things, such as making a snowman with his friends. Growing up in Greece, he hadn't seen much snow at his palatial home on the ocean. When they were to the mountains, it was always for a specific reason, so his schedule was usually too packed to have any leisure time. Not wanting his son to miss out on the same thing, he grinned as another idea popped into his brain. "Let's take these up, Cam," Nikolas said, balancing Spencer on one arm and the tray on the other.

"Mommy!" Cameron yelled, plunging onto the mattress to shower his mother with kisses. Nikolas watched as she squirmed beneath her son, giggling sleepily as she struggled to sit up. "We made you breakfast."

"You did?" she asked, smiling at her son before looking up at Nikolas. "Well, the baby and I are definitely hungry."

Nikolas laid the tray over her lap and shifted Spencer to the other hip. Cameron snuggled beneath the fluffy comforter next to his mother while Nikolas tucked in with his son on the other side. All four of them were cozy under the blankets as Elizabeth ate, periodically spooning a bite into Cam's mouth. "Well, what do you think?" Nikolas asked finally.

Liz sighed happily in response. "I had no idea you knew how to cook anything," she admitted. "I always thought you had someone to take care of that for you."

"I do," he smiled, "but my uncle believed in a well-rounded education. I had a cooking tutor for a year or two. Stefan thought it was important that I learn to appreciate domestic work."

"Does that mean you do laundry?" she teased

"Not on your life," he replied. "If you will excuse us, I actually have something else planned with the boys. You stay here and enjoy your breakfast, we'll be back in a few minutes."

Elizabeth arched her eyebrow quizzically but received no sort of explanation as Nikolas disappeared with the boys out of the room. Popping another bite of steaming flapjack into her mouth, she tried to figure out what he could be up to. Down the hall, she could hear Nikolas' deep voice speaking with Cameron chirping in response. Laughter drifted toward her as they made their way back down the hall. "What is this?" she asked, smiling widely as Cameron came bursting back into the room. Wrapped in his snowsuit, stocking cap and thick boots, he looked like he was ready for a blizzard.

"We're going to build a snowman!"

"You are?"

"Yes, we are," Nikolas retorted, adjusting the fleece hat on Spencer's head. The little boy was also wrapped in a snowsuit, his adorned with blue cartoon dogs. Nikolas was dressed warmly as well with a down parka, knit skullcap and matching gloves. "What do you say? Do you want to join us?"

A few minutes later, Elizabeth joined Nikolas and the boys downstairs. She was dressed warmly, her rounded stomach well hidden beneath her long, plush coat. A striped scarf was wrapped around her neck with a matching hat and gloves over her ears and fingers. Her snow boots clicked on the kitchen floor as she followed them outside. Cameron was clutching a bag full of accessories for the snowman.

"I've never done this before," Nikolas admitted as Elizabeth helped him mold a large base.

Packing the snow together, she looked up at him in shock. "Are you serious?"

He shrugged as he went to work on the next level. Spencer was packed securely into his carrier on Nikolas stomach, laughing as his father held up a bit of snow to his lips. Elizabeth stopped to admire the sight, reminded once again what a good father he was. Cameron was finished with the head, which Liz plopped on top. The three of them quickly finished decorating the face and then stood back to admire their work.

"It's perfect," Liz decided aloud, resting her hands on each of Cameron's shoulders. Nikolas wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her head to his shoulder. The perfect moment was broken by Audrey's voice behind them.

"How about some hot cocoa for Cameron and a warm bottle for Spencer?" she asked happily, stepping out onto the porch.

"Can I please, Mommy?" Cam pleaded.

"Sure," Elizabeth obliged, transferring Spencer from Nikolas to her grandmother. "We'll be inside in a minute to help you."

"Take your time, Sweetheart."

"Your grandmother is a Godsend," Nikolas murmured as she rejoined him in front of their snowman.

"That she is," Liz agreed. "I don't know what I would do without her."

"I don't know what I would do with you."

She smiled warmly and stood in front of him, slipping her arms around his waist. "This was the perfect way to start our morning. Thank you for this. I have a feeling it is something I am always going to remember." Nikolas didn't say anything in return. He simply tipped her chin up toward him, dipped his head and kissed her with all the love his body could muster.

Too many hours to count had passed since Robin had lost consciousness. The surgical team had been able to repair some damage and assess the extent of the infection. While it was serious, it wasn't life threatening thankfully. Electing to put her in a medicinal coma to keep her from the excruciating pain, she had slept through the night.

Mac had stood watch for the first couple hours before taking the girls home. He hadn't had any sleep since before the hostage situation started, and it had started to take a significant toll on him. Noah had taken a shift as well, convincing Patrick that he should get some sleep while Robin did. He had tried to argue, saying that he wanted to be with her at all times, but his father had prevailed. Eventually, too tired to fight anymore, Patrick had slept while his father watched over Robin.

Finally, just before dawn, Noah had shaken him awake to tell him that they were stopping her medication. She was expected to wake up within the hour, so Patrick had moved himself to her bedside. He was determined to hold vigil until she was awake, ignoring the constant melody of his pager and cell phone. While a few of the senior staff had been by to remind him that he was still on call, most knew that he wasn't going to be any good to anyone until Robin was stronger.

"P-p-atrick?" Robin sputtered, her voice hoarse from the tube down her throat. She had had trouble breathing just after the surgery. "Am I okay?"

"You're better than okay," he murmured ecstatically, reaching immediately for her hand. Brushing his thumb across her wedding ring, he couldn't help but grin at her. "You're awake, you're alive."

"How long was I out? What happened?"

"You have an infection. Your immune system was too weak to fight it off."

"I guess that would explain why I feel like this," she tried to joke. Patrick reached up to stroke her hair. "I don't remember much of anything. I think you asked me to marry you, right?"

He nodded and held up her hand for her to see. Lacing his fingers through hers, Robin's face lit up as she recognized the rings. "We're already married."

"That's right," she remembered. "I passed out right as you kissed me. I always knew you had that kind of effect on me."

"I'd say the feeling is mutual."

"How are Uncle Mac and the girls? I know they must be worried."

"Georgie managed to convince him to go home and sleep. I'll call him in a few minutes to tell him that you're awake. He'll be mad that I didn't do it right away."

"It'll be our little secret," she whispered, still clutching his hand fiercely. She searched his eyes momentarily, knowing that something was off. "What aren't you telling me, Dr. Drake?"

"I took the test," he replied simply.

"You did?"

"I was wrong, Robin," he said. "I told you that I needed to do this in my own time, and that was selfish of me. I started to realize how I would feel if you pushed me out of your life, determined to handle this all on your own. I couldn't bare it. If we are going to share our lives together, I have to be able to let you all the way in. This is just as much about you as it is about me."

"Thank you, Patrick."

"I'll find out by the end of the day. I had the lab put a huge rush on it, and they're going to push it through before they process anything else. I know it usually takes longer, but I guess there is a slight advantage to being one of the hospital's most gifted surgeons."

"Glad to know that you're still so modest."

"I've always been honest," he reminded her jokingly. "Seriously though, Robin,

"So what do we do now?" 

"We wait," he said. "We wait and we dream and we plan a future, a future I am determined to share with you no matter what the outcome of all this is."

Above Kelly's, still tucked into the bed she had shared with Lucky for the night, Emily woke up with a smile on her face. Lucky was next to her, his head propped on his fist as he watched her affectionately. His blue eyes danced across her body, settling back on her beautiful face. Leaning down to kiss her, Emily didn't even mind that she still had morning breath as his mouth met hers. "Good morning," she mused happily.

"Good morning," he replied. "If my nose is telling me right, I believe that Mike is downstairs and that cinnamon rolls and coffee are already making the rounds. What do you say to having breakfast with me, Dr. Quartermaine?"

"I'd be honored to, Officer Spencer," she answered. "But I think that I still need to get dressed. I'm not sure these clothes are appropriate for a public viewing."

"Who said anything about a public viewing?" Lucky asked as he pulled his jeans back on. "You stay here and I'll run down to get us something. I plan on keeping you in my bed as long as I can."

Emily giggled to herself as Lucky jogged out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him. Leaping from the bed, she shuffled through her purse for her compact. Flipping it open, she looked at herself in the mirror. Smoothing her hair, she popped a mint and spread a thin layer of gloss over her lips. She jumped back into bed just as Lucky came back in the room.

"Breakfast for two," he announced. Emily took the paper carton from him and unpacked the two cinnamon rolls on her lap. Lucky stirred the coffee to her liking and exchanged it for a pastry. Taking a bite, he growled appreciatively.

"So good," Emily managed between bites, delighting in the sugary goodness. Icing dotted her bottom lip as she broke another piece and bit into it.

Lucky smiled over at her and knew that he had to kiss her again. Cupping the back of her head, he brought her toward him. He could taste the sugar on her mouth as he invaded her lips, a soft moan escaping from her mouth. Her kiss was slow and deliberate, a perfect combination of passion and depth. They enjoyed each other for a few more minutes before returning to their breakfast.

"Well, what do you want to do today?" Emily asked between sips of coffee.

"Help you."

"Help me?"

"You were there for me yesterday when I needed you, Em, and today, I am going to be there for you. I want to go with you to see your family. They're probably worried about you right now, and I know that you want to be with them. I also know that you're going to try to be strong for me, wanting to be the beacon of strength that Lila always was."

She nodded. "I will be because that's what they expect. It's what they need."

"And I know that you're going to need to actually let yourself feel this eventually, and I want to be there when you do," he said. "You don't have to be strong for me. I want to be there to support you, to lift you up if you feel like you're starting to slip."

"I don't want you to see me like that, Lucky. I'm scared of what it's going to be like when it finally really hits me."

He noticed how watery her eyes had become as he laid his hand over hers. "Let me do this for you. Let me take care of you."

Nodding, Emily felt like a small child as Lucky gathered her in his arms. "He was my idol, Lucky. He was the most important man in my life. He was my father in every sense of the word. I don't know what I am going to do without him."

"You're going to carry on his name proudly and become a brilliant doctor, Emily. He might have inspired you to become a doctor, but it's your heart and determination that is going to get you through."

"Are we talking about medical school here?"

"We're talking about life, Em, we're talking about life."


	18. Chapter 18

Dillon woke up the next morning, his arms still around Lulu in his bed. Tracy had seen them coming in, but she hadn't said anything when they had slipped into his room. She was still grieving for Alan and couldn't muster the strength to argue. Yawning, he reached across Lulu and pulled the ringing phone off the receiver. "Hello?"

"You're still asleep?" Lucky chuckled, glancing down at his stainless steel diver's watch. "It's past eleven."

"We were up late talking," Dillon confided. "I took Lulu to see your mom, and then we came back here and stayed up late. She had a lot of stuff she wanted to talk about, and I guess I did, too."

"Well, do you think you could wake her up and meet Emily and me at Kelly's? I have something I need to tell her, and it'd probably be helpful if you were there," Lucky retorted. "I know you got a lot going on with your family, but this is pretty important. I wouldn't ask otherwise."

"Sure, man," Dillon agreed. "Give us a half hour and we will be there."

"Thanks," Lucky replied before ending the call.

Dillon grimaced in confusion as he reached back across his girlfriend to replace the phone on its cradle. Lulu was awake now, peering up at him with hooded eyes. "What is it? I could hear Lucky's voice," she said with concern.

"He needs to see us. We're supposed to meet him at Kelly's," he remarked as he rolled off the bed. Leaning back over the bed, he kissed her briefly before heading toward the closet. Pulling out a pair of jeans and sweater Lulu had left behind when she had lived at the mansion, he tossed them to her. "I told him we'd meet him in thirty minutes."

Lulu rolled her eyes as she watched Dillon dress. This was one of her favorite parts of being in a relationship with him. It was such a normal task, dressing for the day, but it was something she shared with only him. It was their ritual, belong solely to them. "Hey, Dillon?" she murmured, looking up at him. "Can you come here for a minute?"

"Sure, are you okay?" he asked worriedly, sitting down next to her.

She nodded and threaded her arms around his neck, burying her face in his crook. "I just want you to know how much I love you," she whispered, kissing his skin softly.

"I love you, too," he avowed, stroking her blonde hair soothingly before kissing her. Before either of them knew it, she was lying on her back with him on top of her, proving to her just how deep that love was.

Thirty-seven minutes later, Dillon and Lulu rushed up the front sidewalk toward Kelly's hand-in-hand. They would have been on time but the heavy makeout session had prolonged their time getting ready. As they filed through the door, they quickly noticed they weren't the only ones who were late.

"What do you feel like having?" Dillon asked as he pulled out her chair. He could see Georgie behind the counter and knew that it could get uncomfortable rather quickly. Thankfully, Penny came over to take their order instead.

"I'll have a hot chocolate," Lulu ordered, scanning the menu for something to nosh on. "And a piece of apple pie ala mode with a fork, we're going to share."

"Anything else?" the waitress asked.

"Just a cup of coffee," Dillon said dismissively just before they were left alone again. He was just about to tell her something when the bell above the door dinged, indicating that Lucky and Emily had arrived. "Oh, they're here."

"Lucky!" Lulu cried happily, jumping to her feet. She looked at her brother, clutching Emily's hand, with confusion. "Hey, Em."

"Hey, Lu," Lucky greeted her, dropping Emily's hand to embrace his sister. Emily moved past them to hug her cousin.

"How are you holding up?" Dillon asked softly as they pulled apart.

Emily nodded and shrugged. "Lucky helps."

Looking over her shoulder at Lulu, he smiled genuinely. "I understand."

"So what brings you here?" Lulu asked as she sat back down, moving her chair closer to Dillon to help make room for them. Dillon reached under the table and took her hand, weaving their fingers together. She knew instantly whatever she was about to hear couldn't be good. "Lucky, you need to tell me."

"Lu, I'm so sorry," he began. "I didn't want you to hear this from anyone but me. I'm not going to tell you how to feel about this, and I certainly would never ask you to give anyone up or push someone out of your life."

"What is it? What did Dad do this time?"

"It's not him," he assured her. "It's Elizabeth. She told me two days ago that the baby isn't mine."

"What?!?" she cried incredulously. "Lucky, whose is it then?"

He glanced at Emily, silently pleading that she take the lead. "It's Jason's," Emily answered. "Apparently, they had a one-night stand. During the hostage situation, she told Nikolas. They told the two of us when we went to see Spencer."

"We?" Dillon repeated. "Are you two…?"

"We're just figuring that out," Lucky said shortly. "Apparently, we're not the only two that bonded. Elizabeth has decided that she is in love with Nikolas, and they are going to give their relationship a shot. I don't think Jason knows yet, and I'm not sure how he is going to feel. Other than Cameron and Spencer, I really don't care about any of this."

"Come on, Lucky, Nikolas is our brother."

"Our brother knew about the one-night stand months ago and hid it from me," Lucky said. "Even when he knew there was a chance that the baby was Jason's, he couldn't be bothered to tell me."

"That's not how it was, Lucky," Nikolas declared behind them. "I understand that you're angry, but we need to be honest with Lulu about what is going on. It's not fair to present only one side."

Dillon instinctively wrapped his arm around Lulu, hoping to shield her from the inevitable pain he knew was about to ensue. "I don't think that Lulu is up for this right now, guys. She has been through a lot."

"No, I'm fine," she insisted, looking between her brothers. "I know that there are two sides to this, Nik, but I have to know if you knew."

Nikolas bit his bottom lip and nodded reluctantly as Elizabeth came in the door, Spencer in her arms and Cameron in tow. "Daddy!" Cameron screamed, running across the dining room and into his father's arms.

"Cam," Lucky murmured, squeezing his son tightly. Elizabeth looked at her best friend and ex-husband apprehensively. "Hello, Elizabeth."

"Hey, Lucky," she replied softly. "Hello, everyone."

"Dillon, can you take Cameron and Spencer over there?" Lulu asked. "Emily can probably help you. I need to talk to my brothers and Liz."

"Sure," she offered, grabbing Cam's hand as Dillon took Spencer.

Once the four of them were alone, Lulu looked at Elizabeth sharply. "How did this happen?"

"Lulu, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I know this puts you in a hard place, and you have no idea how sorry I am about that. However, this isn't really your concern. Lucky, Nikolas, Emily and I will figure it out on our own."

"That's where you're wrong," Lulu spat. "This is my family. These two men, Lucky and Nikolas, they are the only family I have. Everything you do that affects them will affect me."

"Lulu," Nikolas pleaded. "You don't need to get yourself worked up. You've already been through so much."

"He's right," Lucky agreed begrudgingly. It was more important that his sister be okay than it was to prove a point to Nikolas.

"We're not going to put you in the middle," Nikolas agreed.

"That's good," Lulu laughed humorlessly. "I'm glad you're not forcing me to pick because I'm not sure you'd like the outcome."

"What does that mean? Are you blaming me?"

She raised her eyebrow. "I'm not blaming anyone."

"But you'd still take Nikolas' side?"

"It's Lucky," she said simply. "Nikolas, you know that I love you, but if you asked me to pick, I couldn't take your side. Lucky would never ask me to choose between you two."

"What if I did?" Lucky asked.

"You wouldn't," she said confidently before looking over at Elizabeth. "You created this mess, and I don't even know that you care. I love Cameron and Spencer, they are my nephews, but right now, I don't think I can be around you. I don't wish you any harm, Liz, but I can't believe you would lie to us."

"I didn't lie to you."

"Yes, you did," Lulu countered. "You let us hope for something that wasn't ours to wish for. You didn't just break Lucky's heart, you broke mine, too."

Lucky reached over and covered his sister's hand, seeing the pain in her eyes. "We should get you out of here," he whispered to her softly. He looked over at Elizabeth. "I'd like to pick Cameron up tomorrow."

"Fine," she agreed.

"Come on," he told his sister, helping her up from the chair.

Lulu looked back at her other brother one last time. "I expected more from you, Nikolas," were the final words from her mouth as she slipped back into Dillon's arms and ambled out of the store. Emily and Lucky were a step behind, none of them looking back at the people they were leaving.

"Take her home," Lucky told Dillon as Emily helped Lulu into the passenger seat of Edward's Bentley. "We're going to be right behind you. I told Emily that I'd come over and help her deal with the funeral and everything."

"How is she holding up?"

"She's going through the motions right now."

"Kind of like Lu," Dillon retorted.

"Exactly," Lucky said, "which is why I am worried about them both."

"Me too."

Lucky squeezed Emily's hand as he kneeled in front of Lulu. "I am going to go over to the mansion with Emily, so I'll be there if you need me. It doesn't matter what is going on or who I am with, nothing in this world is more important to me than you." Lulu nodded silently as her big brother pulled her into an embrace. "I promise I'm not going to let you end up like her, Lu."

"I'm scared, Lucky," she confessed in ear, her tears dampening the collar of his jacket. "What if you can't save me?"

"I've never let you fall before, little sister, I'm not about to start that now," he promised. "And I'm not alone this time, either. You have Emily, who happens to love you like a little sister. And you have that guy over there, and I'm pretty sure he's in love with you."

Lucky didn't say anything else as he closed the door firmly behind him. He nodded knowingly at Dillon and reached for Emily's hand, leading her toward her own car. When they finally reached the convertible, Emily stopped and pressed him against the driver's side door. "You did good back there, Spencer," she complimented him, leaning on her tiptoes to kiss him deeply. "I'm very proud of you."

"I just want to take care of her, Em," he confided. "I saw her starting to break all over again. I knew that this thing would affect her. She had so much faith in what I shared with Elizabeth. She thought that we might be the one couple in her life that could actually make it."

"I guess Nikolas and I haven't done much to uphold her resolve, have we?"

He shook his head. "She's been failed her entire life," he remarked, "but I have a feeling she is going to be the one to break the pattern. There is something there between her and Dillon. He loves her very deeply."

"And I love you very deeply," Emily said. "I'm not going to let them be the only ones to break the pattern, Lucky. We are going to figure out a way to change our lives together. This isn't just about you anymore, this is about us. You, me and Cameron, we're a family."

"How do you feel, Lu?" Dillon asked, reaching for her hand as they paused at a red light.

"Not good but better than I expected."

"You're doing good, baby. You're holding on. You didn't freeze up, you stayed grounded."

"I've been so wrapped up in myself that I haven't even looked at what is going on around me," she said. "They've traded lives and can't stand to be around each other. How did I not see it? Lucky is devastated, and Nikolas doesn't really know what he is supposed to do. There always has been such a delicate balance to the family; I don't know how we're going to manage this. But I will tell you one thing - I won't let Elizabeth Webber break up my family."

"She won't mess you if she knows what's good for her," he teased good-naturedly.

"Dillon, I haven't even asked how you are," she said. "I'm not the only one dealing with a lot. You just went through a breakup that had to be hard on you. And your uncle died."

"Alan and I weren't exactly close, but I loved my uncle. Despite everything, he truly but he cared about my mother and probably loved her in a way that no one could. I don't know what she is going to do without him."

"She has my dad. I know he has his downfalls, but he's great in a crisis."

"They really do love each other."

"This makes our family tree very contorted."

"Neither the Spencers nor the Quartermaines are known for being conventional, so why start with us? I am in love with you, Lesley Lu Spencer, all of you. The craziness, the sweetness, the feistiness, the bitterness, all of it."

"You say that all the time."

"And I'm going to keep saying it until you believe me."

"I think I actually do believe you," she smiled. "You're it for me, Dillon. There is no one in this world for me but you. I don't know how I made it 18 years without you because I'm not sure I could make it 18 minutes now."

"And you'll never have to," he promised, kissing her on the cheek as he turned into the Quartermaine drive. Pulling the car into the garage, he turned off the engine and turned back to her. "Hey, Lu?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing for the rest of your life?"


	19. Chapter 19

"What are you doing for the rest of your life?"

Lulu looked over at Dillon as he sat calmly in the passenger seat next to her, almost as if his comment had been about nothing more than the weather. She felt her mouth open and shut a couple times, shocked at what he had said. "Dillon," she warned, "don't mess with me."

Smiling complacently, he reached over and rested his hand on her quivering knee. "I can say with absolute certainty that I'm not messing around here, Lu. I have every intention of spending the rest of my life with you. I know that we're not ready to get married, but I want to know that you're ready to make a commitment to me that is going to last a lot longer than some passing infatuation."

"There is nothing fleeting about this," she avowed. "I've been in love with you for as long as I have known you, Dillon. You're not just some random guy that I met in math class. At one time or another, you have meant pretty much everything to me."

"You're not just my best friend anymore," he murmured, edging closer to her. "You're also the love of my life." With those simple words, Lulu's mouth came crashing against his. Biting his bottom lip softly, she allowed her hands to wander up his back to his dark blonde hair. He moaned against her teeth, pleading for entrance between her ruby lips. "I've wanted this for so long," he whispered, drawing her body closer to him, frustrated that the console was still separating them. "I've wanted you."

"Not here," she implored between kisses, not wanting to break the undeniable connection. Dillon nodded against her as he pulled back, gathering himself enough to climb out of the luxury car. By the time he reached her door, Lulu was already out and headed inside the house. Tossing the keys on the counter in a basket, he pressed her against the pantry door and resumed kissing her deeply. "Tell me you love me," she pleaded, desperate tears in her eyes as he traced small circles on the small of her back.

"I love you," he promised, pressing back hair on both sides of her face before taking her swollen lips once again. Then, pressing tender kisses where her tears had been, he reached down and literally swept her off her feet. Carrying her up the back staircase, he prayed that for once, he could actually avoid his family. Thankfully, the Quartermaines seemed to be absent from the mansion for the afternoon. Pushing the door open with his hip, he carefully deposited her on the middle of his bed.

He could tell by the look in her soulful green eyes that she had wanted him, too. She leaned back on her elbows, relishing in him hovering over her. Kicking off her heels to the floor, she reached up and brought him down against her. "I've missed your weight on me," she mumbled as his lip darted between her lips. Pressing her into the mattress, Dillon let all of himself consume all of her. They were moving as one as she started to peel away his shirt. Running her fingers down his bare, toned back, Dillon couldn't help but shiver beneath her expert touch.

Lulu enjoyed the few moments Dillon allowed her to have control. His eyelashes brushed over her skin as he lifted her closer to him, groaning as she laid a trail of kisses up his shoulder blade and across his collarbone. Then, flipping her over, he assumed the role as leader, lifting the tail of her shirt to kiss her flat abdomen. Nipping playfully at her naval, he helped her remove her shirt and fell back onto his heels to stare at her.

Crossing her arms over herself self-consciously, Lulu looked at him sheepishly. "Don't look at me," she implored, reaching out to bring him to her again.

Dillon held out his hand and let his eyes wash over her. "I just want to look at you," he proclaimed, his voice thick with desire. "Damn, you are so beautiful." She couldn't help but smile as he helped her lose the rest of her clothes, and before either of them knew it, his were gone as well.

"I forgot how great your skin tastes," he mused as he kissed each crook and cranny of her body. Up her stomach, between her breasts, around her neck, on the inside of her wrists – Dillon didn't miss a spot. He was intent on worshipping her body like she deserved, proving to her once and for all that he truly did love all of her. Moving back up to look into her face, he searched her eyes for permission. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Threading her arms behind his neck, she couldn't help but grin as she nodded. "I love you, and you love me. That's all I need to know."

He pressed his forehead against hers and smiled. "I have something," he mumbled, reaching across to remove a tiny package from his nightstand drawer. Lulu closed her eyes, trying to forget the images flashing through her mind. Suddenly, she could remember the plastic applicator, seeing tears in Dillon's eyes, tying the strings on the thin paper gown the night of the abortion. It quickly became too much, causing her to flinch and turn her head. "You're remembering," he remarked knowingly, holding her tightly in his embrace.

She nodded, her chin bumping against his as tears sprung to her eyes. "I thought I could forget," she sobbed into the gentle slope of his neck. Wrapping her legs around his back, she tried to bring him as close to him as she could. She just needed to feel him, to know that he was there and wasn't going to leave her.

"This time is different," he promised. "There are no lies between us. We have finally been totally honest with each other, Lu. I'm not running from my own pain, and you're not trying to create something that isn't there. The feeling between us is as real as it gets."

"I haven't been with anyone since I had the abortion."

"I haven't either, Lu," he revealed.

"But you and Georgie..."

"We didn't have sex when we got back together," he confessed. "We kept saying we were trying to get to know each other again, and that it was too soon. The thing was, we both knew that it wasn't going to happen. I didn't want to be with her like that. After I was with you, I knew that nothing else would ever feel that right."

"I'm scared," she admitted, her voice barely audible.

"It's just me," he retorted. "There is nothing you have to be scared of here. If this is where it stops, then we'll stop. I'm not going to pressure you. I will wait as long as you need to wait. If we never sleep together again, I'll find a way to be okay with that, too. As long as I can hold you in my arms, it is going to be okay."

"You're so patient, so kind. I don't deserve it."

"You deserve it more than anyone I have ever known," he said. "So many people have failed you in your life, Lu, myself included. I had the chance to be there – I mean, really be there – for you after the abortion, and I wasn't. I will never forgive myself for that."

"You were great, Dil. You gave me something else no one could."

"And what's that?"

"You forgave me, even when I couldn't forgive myself. You made me see past the moment and reminded me that I was doing this for both of us," she said. "I was so broken, but you were determined to help me stay whole. Even when your own relationship was at risk, I knew that I was the most important person in your life. I wanted to hate you, to blame you for everything, but I couldn't. You were the only one who could make this whole mess okay for me."

Dillon smiled at her sincerity, finally seeing all of her heart open for him for the first time in a long time. "Why couldn't I have realized how much I love you months ago? I feel like we have wasted so much time."

"We had to go through all of this to get here," she mumbled, adjusting her body so that he was spooning her from behind. Leaning back against his chest, she looked up at him over her shoulder. "I wouldn't have been able to handle us this summer, not after what happened. After the abortion, I needed time to figure myself out. If we had tried it then, I would have only pushed you away."

"You did push me away," he pointed out. "But I guess you couldn't get rid of me that easily."

"You were pretty damn determined," she remembered aloud. "I'm glad that we waited, that we took our time to find our way back. This time, it really is about us. It is genuine, and you've helped me see that. I finally believe in love."

"The cynic has become a dreamer?"

She giggled and elbowed him softly. "Hardly. There is only room for one dreamer in this relationship, and you, Young Spielberg, fill that slot perfectly."

"Don't call me that when we're naked," he pleaded. "It reminds me too much of your dad, and the last thing I want to think about when I'm in bed with you is Luke."

"It could be worse."

"How's that?"

"I could berate you like Tracy," she taunted.

"Stop it," he begged, tickling her sides. She squirmed under his fingers, writhing desperately at his touch.

"I'm sorry," she squealed until Dillon relented. As he pulled back, he looked back down at her and dipped to capture her mouth. There was no going back this time. All the words they had had already been said, and now, there was nothing left but to come together as one.

An hour later, they were still in bed together. Dillon's head rested against her stomach, her fingers playing gingerly with his hair. His eyes were closed in absolute bliss. A blanket was the only thing slung across their body, their flesh still pressed against each other. He could feel her feet brushing against his thighs, so aware of her every movement. "Wow," he finally said, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled over his bedroom.

"I know," she breathed, a coy smile playing across her lips.

"Are you sure you haven't been practicing? I'm pretty sure you threw in a couple moves that I've never seen before."

She swatted the top of his head playfully before allowing him to weave their fingers together. Brushing soft kisses over her knuckles, Lulu silently thanked God for the millionth time for bringing this amazing man to her. "It was better than I remembered, that's for sure."

"This time is different."

"This time _is_ different," she agreed. "We've been through hell and back, and I'm still in love with you. This has to be it."

He smiled and said something that shook her to her very core. It was the one thing that would forever cement how Lulu felt about him because it was the only way he knew how to explain just exactly how much he loved her. There was no doubting what it meant, every syllable carried the weight of the world. "You're my Laura."

Lulu couldn't help but cry. No one could have ever said anything more meaningful or more honest to her. She knew everything she needed to know. She wasn't sure how it was all going to work out, only that it would. For the first time in her life, she not only had faith in something, she had faith in someone else. "Dil?"

"Lu?"

"You remember the question you asked me earlier, down in the garage?"

"Of course."

"Well, I think I finally have an answer for you," she smiled.

"Oh, you do?" he asked, turning himself over so that he was once again covering her body with his. His eyes remained frozen on hers.

"I'm going to spend it with you."


	20. Chapter 20

Emily stood alone on the terrace at the Quartermaine mansion, looking over the vast estate fondly. She had shared so many memories with her family there, everything from those first days where everything had been so extravagant and awkward to planning a memorial service for the only father she would ever know. As her eyes rested on a beautiful row of crimson roses, she couldn't help but think of Lila.

Her grandmother had always been the one that could break down any walls the family put up between each other. No matter what was going on, they could come together for the sake of their matriarch. After Lila had died, the Quartermaines had looked to her to fill the role. Wrapped up in her own life, she had often ignored what was going on with them. Only now did she realize how much she had missed on by chasing after Nikolas and then Sonny. She had wasted so much time trying to prove a point that she had missed out being with her family.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lucky murmured as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her slender waste. He felt her relax instantly under his touch, the weight of her body comfortably leaning against him. Pressing a soft kiss on the crown of her head, he could feel her working something out in her head. She was trying to make sense of what had happened, wondering how she was ever going to live without Alan.

"He was my father, Lucky," Emily whispered, her voice almost getting lost in the gentle breeze that suddenly whipped through the air. "Until I came to Port Charles, I didn't know what it was like to have a family. It was just my mom and me, and it had always been enough. But when I came here, I suddenly had two brothers, parents, grandparents and cousins all under one roof. They were loud and fought a lot, but they loved each other fiercely. Alan was always at the center of that."

"There is nothing I can say right now that is going to make this any easier," he confessed. "I can't make any promises because we both know that they would be empty. What I can do is tell you that I love you and then hold you really tight. I can wipe away your tears when you start to cry and listen to you until you've said everything you want to say. I don't know if that's enough, but it's what I have."

She smiled through her thin veil of tears, turning around in his embrace to meet his steady gaze. "That is more than enough," she promised. "There's somewhere I want you to go with me."

Lucky nodded knowingly and took her outstretched hand before following her off the terrace and down the stone path toward the garden. The sun shone brightly above them, radiating warmth over his face. It became more and more quiet the further they got from the house. Before he knew it, he could just see the peak of the white mansion's roof behind him. Finally, just ahead, he could see a spacious clearing with a granite fountain at its center. "What is this?"

"This is my favorite place in the entire world," she mused as she jogged ahead, letting go of his hand to reach the destination in front of her. Stepping to the water's edge, she leaned over and admired her slightly disheveled appearance in the reflection. "My grandmother created this spot as kind of a sanctuary. It is the place she would come when she was angry at the family, fed up from their constant bickering and backstabbing. No one was allowed here while she was alive, not even Grandfather, but she shared it with me."

"We used to come out here and drink tea in the afternoon," she remembered aloud. "I would listen to her tell me this old stories of when she first fell in love and the beginning days of ELQ. All of her secrets are floating around in these old trees, and many of mine."

"It's absolutely breathtaking," Lucky admitted. "It's such a serene haven. I can see why she kept this place private. It's truly spectacular."

Emily smiled kindly and nodded. "She chose each of these roses personally, carefully and meticulously planning it so that it would be perfect. Just before she died, we spent an entire afternoon going over how to take care of them. Grandfather has entrusted me to make sure that it is properly taken care of. Between Alice and me, we've managed to keep it just as she did."

"She'd be proud of you, Em, just like everyone else in your family is. No one thinks you have abandoned them. They knew you were living your life. They wanted you to be happy and healthy, to find love that would sustain you for all of your days. I knew Lila and had great affection for her. She'd want you to have the same kind of love she shared with Edward."

"Lucky, I didn't tell you before, but thank you for trying to save my father," Emily mumbled, keeping her eyes fixed on the gentle ripples of the water. "If it hadn't been for your father and you, he would have died out there. I know he didn't live much past that, but at least he got a chance to be with my mother."

"Emily…"

"We should be getting back," she retorted. "It's getting late in the afternoon, and I'm sure my mother is looking for me."

"You don't have to hide your pain from me, Em."

"I'm not, Lucky, I promise. I just want to get through the next few days and then I will feel everything. I know what you're trying to do for me, and I appreciate it so much. I just don't want to cry right now."

"You already are," he murmured, reaching up to wipe the tears away from her flushed cheek. Defeated, Emily allowed herself to be folded into his arm, seeking solace only Lucky could offer. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling in his familiar woodsy scent. As long as she was there, nothing else could hurt her. She could pretend that nothing had changed and that Alan would be waiting for her in the sitting room once they returned. Even if it was irrational to believe it, it was the kind of false hope a daughter needs when she loses her father.

"Kiss me," she pleaded, pulling her head away to meet his sapphire eyes. Lucky obliged her request easily, capturing her mouth willingly. After he pulled back, she shook her head resolutely. "Okay, I can do this now."

They hurried back to the house, talking about nothing in particular as they trekked through the cool grass. Slipping back into the sitting room, Emily was surprised to find the house still quiet. "Where is everyone?"

"I don't know," Lucky retorted. "I'll go take a look around and give you a second alone to pull yourself together. Just yell if you need me."

Emily nodded and watched his retreating back before headed toward the mirror to fix her face. Smoothing away traces of smudged mascara, she adjusted her ponytail and tried to paste a believable smile on her face. "Hello, Princess," a deep voice bellowed behind her.

"Luke," she smiled, catching his eye in the mirror. She turned around and flew into his outstretched arms, reveling in the warmth of a fatherly hug. Emily allowed Luke to hold her for a moment, trying to fight the tears that would inevitably come flooding back. Moving away, she was slightly embarrassed at her sudden display of emotions.

"It's okay," he proclaimed. "No one is going to judge you here. If you need to cry, you can cry with me. I promise I won't tell anyone if you are a little less than strong or slightly imperfect."

She giggled at his awkward but heartfelt display of emotion. Wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, she mustered a smile and looked at him bravely. "You are the last person I would want to cry in front of," she admitted. "Tracy would pounce on this if she caught me here."

"You let me handle Tracy," he grinned. "I can take my wife, but she is having a hard time right now, too. I don't think she is going to be too much of a problem. Despite how they treated each other, she truly loved your father. In so many ways, he was her best friend. No one loved her like he did."

"I know the feeling."

"Jason?"

"Well, him, too," she stated. "Actually, I was talking about your son. He's been my best friend for as long as I have lived her, and I can honestly say, no one has ever loved me like he does. He's been my strength through all this."

"My son has always had a special place in his heart for you, Emily. After you were, you know, raped, I remember how guilty he felt that he had been ill. He kept saying over and over, I should have been there. He was literally on his deathbed, but all he could think about was you."

"Sitting at his bedside was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I felt so helpless. I wanted to save him, to make it better, but there was nothing I could do. I could only sit there and pray that he would hear my voice."

"And he did," Luke remembered. "You are the one that brought him back to us, Emily. No matter what anyone else has said, I think it's your voice that made him wake up. He knew you needed him, and he was determined to make a comeback."

"He saved my life."

"No, Emily," Luke corrected her, "You saved each other."

Lucky paused on the landing, having searched the entire upstairs for anyone in the Quartermaine clan. Dillon's door was shut, but he hadn't wanted to bother him. Lucky was sure that he was in there with Lulu, and although his brotherly instincts were kicking in, there was no way he was about to deny his sister the happiness she very much deserved.

Looking out over the foyer, he listened carefully to see if he could hear anything. In the distance, he could hear Emily speaking to someone. In fact, it almost sounded as though she was talking to his father. Shaking his head in disbelief, he tried to listen for anyone else. Just as he was about to head back into the living room, he heard a muffled cry coming from the dining room. Making his way down the staircase, he knocked softly on the swinging door before slipping into the room. "Monica?" 

Covering her mouth, she whirled around. "I'm sorry, Lucky. I didn't realize that anyone else was at home. I just got back from the hospital."

"I think you're entitled to grieve in your own house," he assured her. "Emily is in the other room."

"How is she?"

"She's holding up."

"No, how is she really?"

"She's carrying some guilt and she's undeniably shattered," Lucky admitted. "But I think she is going to be okay. She is determined to be strong for you all, I've tried to tell her that she doesn't have to be. I think she just wants to get through everything before she lets herself feel it."

"She is so much like Alan, I'd almost swear that she was his daughter."

"Monica," Lucky declared, looking her straight in the eye, "Emily was his daughter."

Smiling to herself, she nodded. "Yes. Yes, she was."

"And she is your daughter, too. Emily is an amazing creature, a perfect blend of the three parents that raised her."

"Lucky, Emily is going to need you. I know it's asking a lot for you to watch over her, but I don't know that I could trust my daughter's heart with anyone else right now. Eventually, everything is going to come crashing down around her knees, and someone needs to be there to catch her. I don't think I am going to be able to be strong enough for her, but I know that you can."

"I'm going to be there, I promise you that. I will take care of her throughout all of this and far beyond, if she lets me. I plan on being in your daughter's life for a very long time, forever if I have my way."


	21. Chapter 21

"Thanks, Mike," Nikolas said warmly, taking the two cups of hot tea from the man behind the counter and carrying them over to a quiet table in the corner. The café was empty other than himself, its manager and Elizabeth. Setting it in front of her, he sat down and peered across at her. "How are you holding up?"

Elizabeth looked down at her hands on the table and shook her head silently. Still shaken from her confrontation with Lulu earlier, she had called Audrey and pleaded for her to come retrieve Cameron and Spencer. She had tried to reassure her grandmother that everything was fine and that she just needed some time with Nikolas to talk things over, but she knew that Audrey hadn't bought it. She knew Elizabeth far too well to not see the darkness in her wholesome eyes. "I don't want to tear your family apart," she grieved. "You lived a lonely childhood, devoid of the siblings you have since come to know and love. I don't want to be responsible for keeping you from them anymore. My actions aren't just hurting Lucky and me anymore. They're hurting Lulu, Spencer and you. I don't want to put you in the middle."

"It's too late for that, Elizabeth," Nikolas said. "Here I am, smack in the middle of everything. We can't go back and change that. Even if we could, I'm not sure that I would want to."

"How can you say that? Your brother and sister are both so angry at you. I'm not worth losing your family over."

"I'm not going to lose anyone over this," he promised. "Lucky is so wrapped up in being hurt, he can't see past the situation right now. All he knows is his pain. He just lost a child, and he needs to blame someone. If he wants to put it on me to help him get through, I can take it. My concern is not for myself here, it is for my brother, my sister and you."

"You're so selfless," she murmured, reaching across the table to cover his hand with hers affectionately. "This has the potential to rip your entire life apart, and you're worried about everyone else. What about Spencer? He could miss out on having a family."

Nikolas shook his head vehemently. "Neither Lucky nor Lulu would ever distance themselves from their nephew, no matter how they feel about me," he said. "Family is everything to both of them, you should know that better than anyone. Just like they will stay apart of Cam's life regardless of their opinion of you, they will want to be in Spencer's life."

"Lulu was so angry. I've never seen her like that, except maybe in the weeks before and after the abortion. She was so cold, so distant."

"She's a Spencer," Nikolas chuckled. "I definitely saw the Luke part of her persona come through, just like it did in Lucky. But they also have a lot of our mother in them, and that's the part I know will win out in the end. Lucky will come around and tell Lulu that this isn't about her. She'll trust in him because other than when he was on drugs, that is what she has always done. I've never seen two siblings believe in each other quite like they do."

Elizabeth felt a frown tug down the corners of her mouth. "You feel like you're on the outside," she said pointedly. "You see a brother and a sister and know that they're you're their family, too. But you can't quite figure out where you fit into that relationship. You want to be a part of their life but are afraid that you'll never share that special bond."

"In a way, that's exactly how I feel," he agreed. "Lucky and Lulu grew up together. They share the same parents and in so many ways, are exactly a lot. I always feel like I come in second place, that I'll never be apart of their clique."

"Growing up, I was always the black sheep of the family," Liz remembered. "Sarah and Steven were both so confident, so perfect and assured. My parents knew that they would follow in my grandfather's footsteps and become doctors. They got straight As, never got in trouble and were exactly what any mother or father would want. With me, I never really fit into the Webber clan. I was a troublemaker, someone who barely went to school and just did well enough to pass."

"I used to be so jealous of them both," she continued. "I just wanted to make my parents proud, and if I couldn't do that, I was determined to mess up enough that they would have to pay attention to me. Little did I know, they would end up sending me to Port Charles to live with Audrey. If I wasn't there, they didn't have to deal with me."

"Look at us," he laughed, moving his chair so that he was next to her. "We're a couple of black sheep who just ended up together."

She couldn't help but giggled in response. "In a weird way, we make more sense together than our past relationships. I mean, in some ways, you seemed perfect with Emily. You were both wealthy and white collar. Lucky and I didn't come from much and were both decidedly blue collar. But when you got to the root of who we are, you and I are much more alike."

"And Em is so much like Lucky," Nikolas added. "They are both the soul of their family, the conscious that oozes rationality and morality when things get bad. They are so intricate to the existence of their respective families. You and I, we're the ones they sometimes forget."

"Promise me something," she murmured.

"Anything," he responded, leaning in closer to her. Slinging his arm across the back of his chair, he could feel her breath tickle the inside of his neck.

"Promise me that we will always make our children feel like they belong," she said. "Even if we don't end up together, promise me that you will always make certain that Spencer has a place in this world and in his family. I want both of my children to always feel like they are wanted and that they fill a specific place in my heart. All of my children will be loved equally and will hopefully care about each other equally."

"Lucky and Lulu love me just as much as they love each other, and I think you should believe that Sarah and Steven love you equally as well," Nikolas proclaimed. "But I will give you my word that Spencer will always belong somewhere. Even if it is just with me, he will have a place. I'm not even sure I will have any more children."

Elizabeth smacked her hand against the table suddenly, rattling the contents on its surface. "Okay, enough of this feeling sorry for ourselves," she said. "My grandmother has the boys for the afternoon, which means we have a few hours alone. Now, I don't know if you have anything in mind, but I say we make them count."

He cocked his head to the side, a sly smile playing across his lips. "Well, Wyndamere is empty, we could go back there."

"And whatever would we do there, Prince Cassadine?"

"You see, I have this bedroom upstairs that I don't think you have ever seen," he grinned coyly. "I'm sure you would be infinitely impressed by the art collection that is housed there. As an artist yourself, I think you would appreciate the range of talent on display. I also have some fine linen that might be of interest to you."

"Well, for the sake of my artistic eye, I think I should accompany you back for a tour," she said, pulling a few dollars from her handbag and tossing them on the table. Nikolas reached over and helped her into her coat before leading her toward the front door. Outside, they quickly headed toward the pier and tucked themselves into the launch.

"It's such a mausoleum," Elizabeth taunted, hooding her eyes to look at the majestic castle in the distance. "From here, it looks so cold and uncomfortable. But when you're inside, in the thick of it, it's warm and homey. I never thought that place could seem inviting, but you have managed to fill it with so much love."

"I have to attribute a lot of that to my son," Nikolas professed. "Before him, I never really knew what it was like to have a permanent family. No matter what happens, he is forever connected to me. This entire little person is completely dependent on me. It's a pretty powerful thing."

"It changes your life," she agreed. "Having Cameron has certainly changed my life. I have made a lot of mistakes, but he is the one thing I have gotten right. From my one-night stand with Zander until now, I wouldn't change a single thing because it gave me both my kids."

"Just another thing we have in common," he pointed out as they waited for the drive to park the boat at the private dock just outside the Cassadine estate. A few moments later, Nikolas climbed out and helped lift Elizabeth onto the wooden planks carefully. Taking her hand, he guided her up the sidewalk and through the front door of Wyndamere. Shrugging off his coat, he threw it over the couch along with Elizabeth's.

Padding over to the fireplace, Elizabeth stood in front of stone hearth and watched the flames dance across the room. They were both anticipating what was to come, knowing that it was time for them to cement how they felt about each other. Nikolas stood beside her silently, not touching her but his proximity enough to pique her inner desire. Reaching down to his side, he let his fingers brush hers before hooking their thumbs together. Grabbing her by the wrist, he turned her around and pulled her flush to his body.

Moaning in response, Elizabeth willingly offered herself to Nikolas' kiss, pressing her entire body into his. Thigh against thigh, stomach against stomach, chest against chest, they were as close as two people could get. Pulling her ponytail free, he gazed at her longingly as her chestnut ringlet fell over her shoulders. Dropping his eyes to her lips, he hungrily devoured her mouth again.

"Nikolas," she whimpered as they broke the kiss, "I want to tell you something. This, us, is about you and me. It's not about Emily or Lucky, and it's not about the hostage situation. It's about the fact that I am completely and utterly in love with you. I want to be with you right now, in this moment."

"You don't need to reassure me, Liz," he avowed. "I know your heart, and I know that you would never use me. I know that this is all going to be complicated, I won't even pretend that it's going to be easy. But I am so happy, and I'm pretty sure that life doesn't get better than this."

"I wish this could last," she managed to say before his lips interrupted her. Dancing her backward, Nikolas crashed down on the couch, pulling her on top of him. Letting his hands wander down her sides, around her waist, over her backside and up to her shoulders, he had never wanted to be with someone as much as he wanted to be with her.

As if on cue, the baby kicked, hitting first against her womb and then his abdomen. Turning them over so that he was on top, Nikolas lifted the edge of her shirt as he kissed his way down her body. Smiling up at her, he laid gentle kisses over her rounded stomach, his eyelashes fluttering against the delicate skin. "I love you," he whispered to her womb, keeping his eyes fixated on Elizabeth.

She reached down and held his face in her hands, adoration shining back at him. Bringing him back to her, she whispered the only permission he would ever need, "I love you, too."


	22. Chapter 22

"I am so tired of having my blood taken," Robin complained dryly as Kelly pushed her back toward her room. Her roommate and close friend had stayed by her side faithfully for the past two hours while she was pricked, poked and prodded through a series of tests. Her arm was sore from the needles, putting her in an undeniably bad mood.

"Well, that's over now," Kelly reminded her cheerfully, earning her a look of distain from the petite brunette. "The lab should have your results back by this evening, so don't worry. I'm sure that everything is going to come out fine, and you will be able to go home in no time."

"I'm sorry I am such a pain sometimes," Robin replied, raking her fingers through her long hair. "I shouldn't complain. Everyone has been so great to me, especially Patrick. Mac and the girls have been by my side every minute that he's not. I'm lucky that I'm not going through this alone."

"Hey, don't forget us," her friend cried. "Lainey and I have been here constantly, making you laugh against your will."

"Trust me, I can't forget you too," she smiled in return. "Noah threatened to kill you both if I laugh too hard and pull out my stitches."

Kelly laughed lightly, her dark eyes glittering beneath the fluorescent light just outside Robin's new home away from home. "What can I say? We just have that effect on people," she mused. "Besides, I think you have the right to feel a little sorry for yourself. You were shot in the stomach and had impromptu surgery by two people who aren't exactly qualified. You nearly died."

"I know, I remember it vividly," Robin said. "Look, I just want to go in there and take a nap. I know that I am being less than cheerful, so maybe a little sleep will put me in a better mood."

"And how is today any different than usual?" Patrick taunted as he came out of her room, a mischievous grin pasted on his handsome face. "You're the most cynical person I know, not exactly Miss Sunshine."

"I never pretended to be anything I'm not," she smiled as he dipped to greet her with a kiss. Kelly winked over Patrick's shoulder and headed off to finish her rounds. Once they were alone, Patrick reached his hand through the door and flipped off the light. "What's going on?"

Cocking his head, he shrugged absently. "Close your eyes," he ordered, taking his place behind her wheelchair. Obliging his request, she squeezed them shut as he guided her into the room. Robin could hear soft music begin to play as he stopped her chair. "Now, open them."

Slowly, she opened her eyes and took in the room. Positioned in the middle of the cozy space, she craned her body so that she could see every last inch of it. Candles lined the window sill, furniture and nearly every other surface, all lit to bring the perfect romantic glow. Where there weren't candles, Patrick had filled the room with flowers. Red roses, white lilies, pink tulips and purple lilacs all mixed together to leave a sweet aroma in the air. He had changed the sheets on her bed from the standard issue white ones from the hospital to dark crimson satin sheets. Everything was absolutely perfect.

"Oh, Patrick!" she sighed inaudibly, her hand flying to cover her mouth. As a romantic classical tune poured from the stereo, he reached down and took her hand. "You did this for me?"

He shook his head. "I did this for us," he told her. "And now, I want you to dance with me."

"I can't dance," she reminded him. "I'm not even supposed to walk."

"Oh, but you can," he said, bringing the wheelchair over to the overstuffed recliner he had occupied for the majority of her hospital stay. Sitting down, he brought her chair to the edge of the furniture and then effortlessly lifted her so that she was on his lap. Placing one leg on either side of his body, he helped her to straddle his body. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he started to sway them slowly in time to the beat. "See, we're dancing."

"If someone walked in right now, it might look like we were doing something else," she teased, leaning her head on his shoulder contently. Bach floated in one ear and out the other as she sighed happily.

"Whatever do you mean, Mrs. Drake?" he asked innocently. Robin shrugged and kissed his bottom lip. "I can't believe I'm actually saying that to you. I still can't believe that you agreed to become my wife. After everything I've put you through, you're still in love with me. How did I ever manage to be that lucky?"

"You know how," she retorted breathily. "There is something else I want to talk to you about. Maybe it's something we should have talked about before got married, but I guess it's kind of too late for that."

"Whatever it is, Rob, I promise that it's going to be fine."

"We've never really talked about kids, Patrick," she announced. "I'm assuming that you will eventually want to be a father. We've never really talked about our options."

"I know that that comes with the territory. We can adopt, find a surrogate parent. They're making medical advances every day. Mothers with HIV have been known to give birth to perfectly healthy children. Just because you have the virus does not necessarily mean that you will pass it along."

"I know the science, Patrick," Robin said. "I'm not asking what our options are; I'm asking which you one can see us choosing. I want us to have a family, to have a chance at being normal."

Patrick reached up and stroked her hair gently before resting his hands on the small of her back. "I want to be the father to your children. A year ago, I never would have even considered the fact that we would still be together, let alone be married. Yet, here we are, and I have never been happy. I will support you in whatever decision you make."

"I'd like us to consider doing this naturally. I know that it is going to take a lot of time, and we will have to full analyze the situation with the help of my doctors. Still, I want the baby to be ours. I want to carry the baby myself, to get to bond with my child without the help of a surrogate. And if we can't do it, then we can reconsider our options. What do you think?"

"I think you are the strongest, most amazing woman I have ever known," he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her. "And I think that I can't wait until we can start trying to get pregnant."

Laughing softly, she tugged on the ends of his hair playfully. "Slow down, Quick Draw," she ribbed. "I'm pretty sure that extracurricular activities in the bedroom are strictly prohibited according to my surgeon. Now, if you want to go ask your father for permission to make love to me, go ahead."

"I hate you," he retorted playfully, sticking out his bottom lip in a false pout as the song came to an end.

"No, you don't," she insisted, her voice just above a whisper in his ear. "You love me."

"Yes, I do."

A loud knock at the door broke them out of their intimate reverie. Gazing at each other, Robin frowned before calling out permission for entrance. Kelly came in the room with Noah in turn. Her friend raised her eyebrow while Noah turned his head in shock. "Sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt," Kelly giggled.

Robin felt the scarlet creep up her neck as she readjusted herself in Patrick's lap. Quickly, she transferred herself back into the wheelchair and turned to them expectantly. "What is it? Did you hear back from the lab already?"

Noah nodded as Patrick stood up, concern moving between father and son. Patrick could tell that his father was dreading what he was about to say, and instantly, he was scared again. "Please, don't take her away from," he prayed silently. "I just found her, you can't have her yet."

"Robin, the bullet grazed deeper than we originally thought and hit against one of your ovaries."

"Wait, what does that mean?" Patrick asked, knowing the answer but not wanting to believe it.

"She may not be able to have children," Noah stated bluntly.

"Yes, I can," she said confidently, spreading her hands across her flat abdomen.

"You might be able to, honey," Kelly said. "We'll have to run another series of tests to find out for sure. Right now, we have no way of knowing how extensive the damage is."

"I know the medical protocol," Robin said nonchalantly, "but I don't need any tests. Patrick and I are going to have a child, and I will carry it myself. It doesn't matter what numbers you run or how often you take my blood, I'm certain of it."

"Sweetheart, maybe you shouldn't get ahead of yourself," Noah recommended. "There are a lot of unknowns in this equation. Just let us run these tests and we'll figure out what's what. There's no need to be upset before you have something to be upset about."

"I'm not upset actually," she remarked. "I'm actually quite confident. I know that I am going to be able to do this. I'm not in denial, which is what I'm sure you're all thinking. I just know what my heart is telling me. Besides, I have a secret weapon."

"And what's that?" Patrick asked.

"Stone," she smiled, looking up toward the ceiling. "We used to talk about having children in those last few weeks. He told me that he wanted that for me. I know that wherever he is, he is going to make sure that it happens. He is going to get together with your mom to pick out the most perfect child for us. We are going to be parents."

"Robin," Kelly started to warn her.

"Stop," Patrick responded. "Robin is right. If she takes these tests, it's going to be as a precaution for her health, not because she needs proof that we will be able to conceive. It might take a miracle for us to have a baby, but I know that we are going to do it. She's right, Dad. Mom is up there right now working her magic, just like she always has."

Noah looked at his son with visible pride. "You are so much like your mother sometimes that I forget," he said. "That is something she would have done, something she would have said."

"Look, we'll leave you two alone for a minute to talk this over," Kelly offered. "Just page me when you have decided what you want to do."

"Thanks," Robin said dismissively as Kelly and Noah left the room. Patrick sat back down in the chair and pulled Robin toward him. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's your body, I'll support whatever you want."

"I think I should have the tests to make sure that I'm not in any danger," she decided aloud. "Either way, I want you to support me in whatever I choose. You may not like the test result, but I want to be a mother, Patrick. It may seem like I'm putting my life at risk, but you just have to trust in this."

"I trust you," he promised. "That's all I need to know here. As long as we both believe in each other, I know that we can overcome anything. Science has nothing on our love."

"So, we're going to do this?" she asked excitedly, pulling on the collar of his shirt excitedly. "We're going to have a baby?"

"As soon as you are given a clean bill of health to try, we are going to make a baby."

"You have made every single one of my dreams come true," she said. "You broke down all my walls and became my best friend. You managed to convince me to fall in love again, and you made me your wife. And now, we're going to be parents. Just when I thought that I had all that I could ever want, you gave me everything."


	23. Chapter 23

Dillon buttoned the top button his striped shirt and checked his reflection one last time in the mirror above his bureau. He could see Lulu behind him, her head bent over in concentration as she struggled to fasten her bracelet around her slender wrist. "Need some help?" he asked smoothly as he sauntered over. Gazing at her with his best bedroom eyes, he smiled as he knelt next to her.

"Do you think they've noticed that we're missing yet?" she asked lightly, not in any kind of hurry to find the rest of the Quartermaine clan. She had heard her father's voice earlier in the hallway, speaking distantly to Tracey about nothing in particular. No one had bothered to seek them out, so she hadn't either. While they were still in the confines of Dillon's bedroom, nothing else could touch them.

He shook his head and smiled widely. "You know that my mother would have been in here first thing if she did," he pointed out. "Either way, we should probably get downstairs. I'm sure there is a lot going on, and I would really like to check on Em. I'm sure she is tired of running interference between the rest of the family."

"Yeah, she could probably use a break. Lucky, too," she agreed. "He's used to the Spencer drama but not the Quartermaine fights. I'm not sure that he can really deal with everything consider all that has happened."

"You're one to talk," Dillon murmured as he stood up, dropping a tender caress on her hair. "Lucky is a strong man, he knows that he needs to take care of Emily right now. Just like I know that I need to take care of you."

"You're dealing with your own stuff. You shouldn't have to look after me. I hate that I am such a burden on you, even if you don't think I am."

"I don't have to do anything, I am choosing to take care of you. I know that someday, I will need you to do the same thing for me, and when I do, I'll count on you to be there. In the mean time, just let me do this."

She nodded as she stood up in front of him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned up and kissed him briefly. "Let's get out of here."

Taking her small hand in his, Dillon led her toward the staircase and into the foyer. Monica was standing stoically at a window, her eyes glued to the distant horizon. He could see the slight shiver of his aunt's shoulders as she tried to stifle the sobs that would inevitably come. There was a quiet, respectable sadness about her grief. It was as authentic as he had ever seen. "Why don't you go find Em and Lucky? I'll catch up with you."

Lulu indicated that she understood, leaving him silently in the entryway. Once he was alone with Monica, he came the rest of the way down the staircase and stood next to her. "I don't think I've told you this before, but I want you to know how sorry I am. I have done things in the last few months that I never thought I would do, and I wish I could take all that back. I should have never put Alan through all that."

"Don't apologize," Monica assured him. "You were doing what you thought was best. You were fighting for the woman you love, trying to make this world right for her. Alan and I could have never been angry long term, anyhow. We would have done exactly the same thing for each other. God knows, we probably have somewhere along the lines. Besides, we were just trying to protect each other. I guess that's what you were doing for Lulu. You just wanted to protect her from becoming broken like Laura."

Dillon looked at her and smiled a crooked, slightly broken smile. Uncharacteristically, he felt the need to comfort her. Coming from the family that they both shared, he understood that no one else would understand where they were coming from. Turning to her, he wordlessly wrapped his arms around her back and hugged her tightly. "Thank you for sharing your husband with this family," he murmured before letting go and disappearing to find Emily and the others.

"Hey, kids," Lulu greeted Emily and Lucky brightly as she sashayed into the sitting room, trying to muster what little happiness she could. They were both sitting on the couch next to each other, Lucky's arm across her back and Emily's head on his shoulder. With swollen eyes and a tear-stained face, Emily was the picture of despair. Lucky's face mirrored her overwhelming sadness, the usual sparkle gone from his blue eyes. Moving over slightly, he made room for his little sister. She sat down next to him, wrapping herself in the other half of his embrace. Holding the two most important women in the world to him, Lucky tried to let the moment be enough to make him feel whole.

"I should go upstairs and get dressed," Emily announced, not making any movement to get up. "People are going to start arriving any minute. I haven't changed clothes in two days. I hardly think Grandfather would think I'm presentable."

"I doubt the old man will notice," Lulu offered, smiling around her brother's body at the kind brunette. "Besides, you're allowed to be lazy. If ever there was a time to do exactly what you want, this is it. No one is going to hold you accountable for anything you do right now. It's like a free pass."

"Lulu should know," Lucky taunted. "She milks my mom's catatonia for all it is worth. She used it to explain away her drunken Halloween night or the 'accidental pregnancy' or just about anything else that has ever gone wrong."

"What's the point of having a vegetable for a mom if you can't use it to your advantage?" she shot back, laughing heartily for the first time in a long time. It had been awhile since she had made light of her life, finding the humor in an otherwise dark situation. With Dillon, she could feel every ounce of her relationship with her mother. With her father, she could fight about everything that had ever gone wrong. With Lucky, the one person who understood above all else, she could fight the silver lining in a very black sky.

"You guys are horrible," Emily laughed in spite herself. "Only a Spencer could make a joke out of something like this on a day like today."

"Just imagine what you get with two Spencers," Lulu shot back, her entire body wracked with laughter. Lucky soon joined in the infectious giggling, passing it on to Emily. They were doubled over by the time Dillon joined the room, a very confused look on his face.

"What in the world could be so funny?" he asked, scratching his head absently.

"Nothing," Lulu and Lucky insisted in unison, earning another round of chuckles from Emily. She clutched her stomach, struggling for air. Lulu finally managed calm herself down enough to assure him that nothing was wrong, that they were genuinely laughing about life.

"Liar," Dillon mused before looking down at his cousin. "Hey, Em, do you think I could talk to you outside for a minute?"

She looked up at him and nodded. "I'll be right back," she told Lucky, pressing a quick kiss on his cheek. Walking past her, Dillon grabbed Lulu's hand on the way by and squeezed it.

"I see everything is going really well between you and the Young Spielberg," Lucky observed, winking teasingly at his little sister. He enjoyed seeing her turn a bright shade of crimson and squirm next to him on the couch. "Lu, I'm really happy for you. I know that Dillon truly loves you, and I don't think I could find anyone better in the world for you. Whatever, I just want you to be happy."

"I think I might be," she admitted. "I don't really know what it feels like, other than the brief moment when Mom came back or earlier this summer when I felt like Dillon and I were connecting for the first time. But I think that this is happiness, and I know that this is love. I love him, Lucky. Nothing else really seems to matter."

Lucky admired the uninhibited love she seemed to share with Dillon. Once upon a time, he had thought that there was something similar between him and Elizabeth. Maybe there had been, he wasn't sure. The only thing he knew was whatever they had had, it had faded away. Instead of leaving him empty, however, it had made him realize that he was in love with Emily.

"Lu, there is something else I need to talk to you about," he said. "I know that you're upset about what's happened between Liz and me, but I want you to know that has nothing to do with you. I don't expect you to be happy about, but I don't want you to hate her either. For Cameron's sake, we need to find a way for us to all get along. And not just for his sake but also yours and Spencer's."

"I love both my nephews. I would never do anything that would keep me away from them, but I can't just forget what she did. I can't forget that Nikolas didn't tell you."

"I'm not saying you have to forget it, but it's not yours to forgive. It's mine, and eventually, it will be Jason's. I wish that baby was mine, I can't deny that. But there is a reason that it's not. I think Em just might be that reason. Maybe I'm supposed to wait until she and I can be parents together. Otherwise, how can you explain the fact that neither of us have children with the supposed loves of our lives? How do you explain the fact that both of them already have kids with someone else?"

"You are the strongest person know," she mused aloud, truly in awe of how selfless her brother was being. "I will forgive Nikolas when you do. I know that you're saying why this is important for me, but it's crucial for you, too. We have spent so much wasted time hating the Cassadines, but you two broke that pattern. Don't revert back to those old ways, Lucky."

"When did you get so brilliant?" he asked, truly amazed at how grown up Lulu suddenly seemed.

She shrugged wryly. "I've always been brilliant, it just took you this long to figure it out."

Out on the terrace, Emily leaned over the wrought iron railing and looked back at the rose garden she had been in hours before. A gentle breeze passed by her like a whisper, a slight signal to let her know that she wasn't alone. Her eyes drifted to Dillon, who just grinned knowingly in response. "I felt it, too."

"I've felt her all day," Emily said. "I can't help but be grateful that she isn't here. This would have torn her heart apart. Instead, she is up there with my father, probably having afternoon tea with Justus while they watch over us laughing. They already know the hell we are both going to be in when they read his will. I can't even imagine how fun that is going to be."

Dillon couldn't help but laugh for a minute before turning serious again. "I'm going to miss Alan."

"Yeah? What are you going to miss most?"

He cocked his head in contemplation. "I will miss the way his voice could fill a room. I've never heard anyone bellow like Alan could. He'd come in and instantly command attention. There was nothing like it."

"He knew how to fight with the best of them," she agreed. "I guess he had to in order to survive in this house. Between Grandfather and Tracey, he wouldn't have stood a chance otherwise. He taught me everything I know about dealing with the family."

"What are you going to miss most?"

"There's this look he had," Emily explained. "He'd sort of half smile and get this sparkle in his eye, and I knew exactly what that look meant. It meant that he was my father and that he loved me. It was something that only I could ever understand, totally unique to our relationship. I have never really been sure about many things other than the fact I wanted to be a doctor. But I knew how proud my father was of me the day he died. That is a gift that means more to me than anything else ever could."


	24. Chapter 24

Early the next morning, Elizabeth sat alone in a booth at Kelly's, watching Cameron nervously stack and knock down a tower of blocks. With his dark head bent over, he looked so much like Zander that it nearly broke her heart. She was waiting for Lucky to come retrieve their son upon her request. Cam was starting to miss his father terribly, and Liz had things she had to take care of. Their phone conversation had been brief and strained at best, but he had willingly agreed to pick him up.

"Hey," Lucky greeted her as he slipped through the front door of the café in his police uniform. He had only worked the morning shift, wanting to take the rest of the afternoon off to spend with Cameron and Emily. They had a nice lunch at the Quartermaines planned by the lake, and he hoped that it would bring peace to both him and Em.

"Thanks for taking Cameron," she replied instantly, self-consciously running her fingers through her hair. She was dreading the inevitable question of what she was doing today, knowing that the answer would only bring anger and pain back to the surface. Before he could even ask, she decided to tackle the subject head on and reveal her plans. "I'm going to tell Jason today."

Lucky was silent for a moment, watching his son construct a cabin of green and blue plastic. "It's probably time for that. I think the secret has probably gone on long enough," he commented without looking at her. "I'm assuming that Nikolas is going with you."

She nodded in response. "For a long time, I thought it was you who'd go with me when I finally told him. I truly believed somewhere in my heart we would be able to get past this. Maybe if I had told you earlier on, you would have been able to."

"If Maxie hadn't lied about the baby, it would probably have been different. But she did, and unfortunately, you had to deal with those repercussions, too. I know that it isn't fair, but it's how I feel. I don't think you can really blame me.

"No, of course not. I know this isn't easy."

"I know it's not easy on you either," he admitted. "I'm glad that Nikolas is going with you though. He'll be there to support you, and even if I'm angry at you, I don't want you to be alone in this. I will always love you, Elizabeth, even if I don't really like you right now. You allowed me to share a life with our amazing little boy, and without you, I wouldn't be Cam's father. Being angry at you isn't going to help anyone, least of all him."

She smiled genuinely. "You truly are your mother's son," she responded. "I'm scared to tell Jason. I know he is going to be angry, and I honestly don't know how he is going to react. I'm afraid he'll want to take my baby."

"Jason would never do that," Lucky said pointedly. "And even if he did, Nikolas would do everything to help you fight."

"You should really make up with your brother."

"I will when I'm ready. For now, you need to stay out of it."

"I can't, Lucky, I'm smack in the middle of it."

"We'll be fine. I just need time. I think you both owe me as much."

"We both owe you what?" Nikolas demanded as he appeared behind Elizabeth, lowering a kiss on top of her soft hair. She reached over her shoulder for his hand and squeezed in greeting. Hoping that he understood her signal, she looked up at him and waited for him to continue. "I already apologized. I don't think I owe you anything else."

"He just wants time, Nik," she said gently, praying that it didn't turn into a scene in front of Cameron. As if on cue, the little boy came padding over and climbed into his father's lap. "You should probably go, Lucky. I'm sure you have plans."

"Yes, we're going to go see Aunt Emily," Lucky told him, earning a smile from toddler. He clapped his hands excitedly. "Go get your blocks picked up and we'll go."

"You're going to spend the day with Emily?" Nikolas asked carefully.

"She just lost her father. She needs all the support she can get, and if I can make her smile, I'll take it where I can. Spending time with Cameron will do that. I'm sure she'd love to see Spencer if you have time, too. Maybe you could go over there for a visit or something," Lucky offered. "Despite everything else that has happened, I think she'd be happy to hear from you as well. I don't want our relationship to get in the way of the friendships she shares with both of you."

"Please let her know that I'll be by in the morning to visit her at the mansion. If that won't work, have her call me and we can set something up," Nikolas replied. "And thank you for not standing in the way of our relationships with her."

"I love Emily, and I want her to be happy. If that life includes you two, who am I to keep her from that? And as for Lulu, I talked to her about that, too. She will come around, you might just have to give her a little time. She is just trying to protect me." Neither Nikolas nor Elizabeth said anything as he rose to his feet. Walking over, he scooped Cameron into his arms. "We'll see you at your grandmother's house this evening. If you need anything, please call my cell phone. We're going to have a picnic with Em at the house."

The couple watched silently as Lucky left with Cameron before saying anything. When they were alone, Nikolas pulled the empty chair closely to Elizabeth's and kissed her deeply. Pulling apart, she reached up to finger his soft hair. "I missed you last night."

"I know," he groaned huskily. "But I think Spencer was happy to sleep in his own bed last night. Look, not to rush you, but can we talk about this in the car? We have an appointment you've been waiting awhile to keep."

She grimaced before nodding begrudgingly. Allowing Nikolas to pay her small tea tab, she grabbed her coat and handbag before following him out to his sleek Jaguar. Sliding into the buttery leather passenger seat, she didn't speak again until they were on the road to Jason's coffeehouse. They had agreed to meet at his warehouse office. Finally, Nikolas broke the silence. "I've been thinking, you can't stay at Audrey's anymore."

"Sure I can, there is plenty of room there if the kids can share a room for while. With work, I really need the help, and I can't afford anything else."

"Maybe Wyndamere should be an option. That house is awful big and rather lonely with just Spencer and me. We could use a few more people to help fill it up."

Elizabeth looked at him incredulously. "We can't live together!"

"I didn't necessarily mean in the same room, Liz," he said. "But I want to help you raise this child if you will let me. I want you to be in Spencer's life, and I'd like to stay a part of Cam's life. He doesn't need a father, but I could at least be his uncle. We can all live together in the house as a family. You can stay in a separate room until you're ready. Hell, you can have your own wing. I just want you near me."

"I just need some time to think it over. We're going to tell Jason this really heavy thing, and that is all I can deal with right now. Can we talk about this later?"

Nikolas smiled and reached for her hand. "Hey, come on, of course we can. Don't worry about this, there's no pressure. I just wanted to offer you my home because it's something I really want to share with you. I want to share this life with you."

He waited for Elizabeth to reply, but she didn't. Instead, she affixed her eyes on the cold, metal coffee warehouse. "We're here."

"Yes. Yes, we are." Nikolas climbed out of the sports car and made his way around to her door. Carefully lifting herself from the seat, she gladly looped her arm through his for support, allowing herself a brief moment to revel in his mere touch. His proximity gave her a little additional strength, something she knew she'd need once she was inside. Stopping just before the door, he turned and pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm very proud of you, no matter what happens in there. You could have kept this secret from everyone, but you are telling the truth."

"I couldn't have kept it from you," she confessed, kissing him.

"Well, either way, I'm still proud. And I promise I'm going to do all that I can to help you get through this."

"Hello, Ms. Spencer," Milo greeted Elizabeth once she was inside. The bodyguard had seen her coming and going several times over the past several months, coming to know her name quite well. "Mr. Cassadine."

"We're here to see Jason. He's expecting us," Nikolas declared.

"Go on it," Milo told them, pointing to the closed office door just behind him.

Liz reached down for Nikolas' hand before entering the room. They were both shocked to see two people behind the desk, wrapped in each other in quite a passionate embrace. Blonde hair hid Jason's face as his fingers worked their way through the mass of ringlets. Clearing his throat, Nikolas attempted to announce their presence. When it didn't work, Elizabeth spoke up. "Excuse us, Milo said we could come in."

"Oh," Carly laughed, wiping her mouth embarrassedly as she pulled away. Turning to look at them, her sheepishness quickly fell away. "It's you."

"Yeah, it's us," Elizabeth countered, looking from Carly to Jason skeptically. "We have an appointment with Jason, if you wouldn't excuse us."

"Unless it's about business, she might as well stay," Jason retorted.

"Jason and I are together now."

"You're what?!?" Liz exclaimed.

"We're a couple," Carly remarked snidely, her distain for the wholesome nurse clear.

"When did that happen?" Nikolas asked, as shocked as his counterpart.

"After the explosion," the two blondes replied in unison, a giggle escaping from Carly. She finished the explanation, Jason's hand resting comfortably on the back of her neck as she perched on the edge of his desk. "Those kinds of situations tend to put a lot of things in perspective and when you realize you could possibly lose your best friend, you sort of realize just how in love you've been for the past decade."

"It doesn't make any sense," Elizabeth muttered.

"It doesn't have to make any sense," Jason said. "It just has to be, and it is. Now, what brings you two here?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath as she sat down, Nikolas posed behind her. Reaching down, she placed her hands protectively on her womb, trying to must the courage and conviction to make her final confession. "There's something you need to know."

"Maybe I should go," Carly offered uncharacteristically, causing a shocked reaction all three of the other people in the world. She couldn't help but grin, knowing they couldn't believe what they were hearing. Usually, she was the first one to put herself in the middle of a situation, especially when it came to Jason and Elizabeth. However, the battle had been won, and she finally had Jason's heart. She didn't feel the need to compete anymore, he truly was in love with her.

"No, you should probably stay," Elizabeth declared hesitantly. "I know you already know about the night that Jason and I spent together last winter." Carly nodded before glancing at Jason confusedly. "Well, shortly before that, I was still with Lucky. When I turned up pregnant, I didn't know who the father was, so I had a paternity test done."

"Right, and the results said that Lucky was the father," Carly said.

Nikolas squeezed her hand, urging her to move forward. Elizabeth smiled slightly, gratefully, before continuing with the admission. "When I got the results, Sonny ran into me outside the hospital. This freak wind kicked up and he came across them. He assumed Lucky was the father, and I let him. I shouldn't have, but I did."

"Are you saying…?" Carly trailed off.

"Am I the father?" Both women shifted their gaze to Jason. His eyes were steel grey, as cold as they had ever been. "How could you lie to me?"

"I thought I was doing what was best. I was wrong," she admitted. "A lot of time has passed, and you have missed out on a lot. For that, I couldn't be sorrier. But I'm prepared to figure out a way to make this work with you. The only thing I ask is that you not take the baby away from me."

Jason started to respond, but Carly quickly interrupted him. "Jason would never do that."

"People do things they wouldn't normally do when they're angry," Liz said.

Carly laughed humorlessly, a part of her reveling in the fact that the angelic Elizabeth Webber, someone who had judged her every move for years, was in the same situation she had been in with Michael a decade ago. "Look at my life, Elizabeth, Jason wouldn't do that."

"I need to go for a walk," Jason's finally said, his voice strained. "Carly, come on."

"Jason," Elizabeth started to protest.

"Just give me time, Liz, just give me time."


	25. Chapter 25

Nikolas and Elizabeth were still in the office five minutes later, neither of them having said a word. Her ankles crossed, Liz was trying to figure out where to go from there, knowing that she had to give Jason time but wanting answers immediately. Nikolas was leaning against the wall in the corner, carefully watching every movement of every muscle in her tense back. Finally, pacing over slowly, he rested his hand on her shoulder. She cringed involuntarily for a moment before turning around to meet his dark, gentle eyes. "We should probably go."

Milo knocked on the open door and stuck his head in. "Mrs. C asked me to come make sure you had a car home," he announced formally, looking between the two inconspicuously.

Nikolas nodded kindly. "We brought my car."

"Thank you, Milo," Elizabeth replied, standing up and gathering her things. Nikolas helped her into her coat and wrapped the long wool plum scarf around her neck. Holding out matching mittens, she shoved her hands in the holes and followed Nikolas out of the room.

Putting her into the car, Nikolas was worried about Liz's quite reaction as he made his way to the driver's side. Sliding the key into the ignition, he sat silently, not turning on the engine. "Well, what do you think?"

Liz didn't say anything, she didn't know what to say. Reaching over, she cupped the back of his head and led it toward her. Kissing him deeply, she prayed that her touch would express everything that she couldn't. When he pulled back, she could see the questioning look still in his eyes. "It could have been worse."

"That doesn't say much really," he pointed out. "Carly and Jason?"

"I know, right?" she laughed. "Although, I guess it's not any stranger than you and me. Something is definitely up with the universe, everyone is getting turned upside down. Lucky and Em, Jason and Carly, Lulu and Dillon, you and me."

"I see a pattern forming. It looks like the hostage situation could be the universe's way of putting best friends together. I've always believed you should fall in love with your best friend, and I thought I had. I guess I just forgot that there was another option in our incestuous foursome."

"That we are," she sighed. "Since I have to wait for Jason to figure out some stuff, maybe you and I should talk about the living situation now. I'd like to have a plan to bring to him when we talk to him again."

Nikolas put the car into gear and reversed out of the warehouse parking lot. Turning onto the wide boulevard, he reached over absently for her hard. He just needed to touch her. "Tell me."

"I don't want it to confuse Cameron. He might think that you are going to take Lucky's place. That is the first thing we will need to take care of," she rambled. "And I want you to know that we're not technically going to be living together, more of just sharing a house. I mean, that's really important. We aren't ready to do that, to like actually have a life together. But maybe it would be better if we did, I don't know. Jason might be more willing to let me keep the child if he thinks it would have a real family. I guess we could do that, the two of us and the boys. We do love each other, and I love Spencer. I know you're crazy about Cam. It could work."

"Whoa," Nikolas said, shocked that so much could come out of such a little woman. Liz smiled nervously, shrugging nonchalantly. "Look, first of all, it doesn't have to be that hard of a decision. I don't think that we need to dissect every part of this."

"It's not that easy," she protested.

"Yes, it is," he countered. "You will have your wing, and I will have mine. Eventually, the two will come together and we won't need to differentiate between the two. Until then, we will share a house and a life. Maybe someday we'll even share a house."

"You just simplified my entire life into three or four sentences," she sighed. "Why can't everything be that easy? Why can't love and relationships be so easy?"

"I love you," he said.

She smiled, "I love you too."

"See, that was easy," he declared. "Now, say you'll move in with me."

Elizabeth looked out the window as Nikolas pulled to the shoulder of the road. "I can't."

"Say it," he implored as he opened the door. A vibrant breeze filled the vehicle as she watched him come to her side. "Say it, say it, say it!" he called, her voice clear even through the closed window. Pulling the passenger door open, he knelt on the black pavement beside the car. Placing his hands on her knees, he leaned over and whispered into her ear seductively. "Say it."

But she didn't, she just nodded instead.

"I can't believe how beautiful it is outside," Emily called over her shoulder as she ran ahead of Lucky. Cameron was galloping next to her, his tiny folded inside her fingers. His dark hair glinted in the sunlight as they padded down the grassy hill and toward the sparkling lake.

"I know, it's an amazing view," he agreed, not referring to the scenery but to the image of the two most important people in his life racing along together hand-in-hand. He swung the picnic basket next to him gingerly, its weight seemingly nothing as he remained focused on his son and Emily.

"Daddy, can we do it here?" Cameron pleaded, choosing a place between the lake and a small duck pond. "I want to feed the ducks. Please, please, please! Can we?"

"Yes, can we?" Emily asked excitedly, jumping and clapping like Cameron. If it were possible, Lucky fell a little more in love with her just then, seeing her act as happy and innocent as a small child. He knew it was all an act, but it was an act for his son.

"I think here looks perfect," Lucky agreed, handing Emily a blanket to spread over the cool grass. Placing the basket on the ground, the first thing he pulled out was a small brown paper bag Mike had added into the goods. "Mike sent some day-old bread for you, Cam. Just so you can feed the ducks."

"Yay!" he cried, pulling a hard roll from the sack before discarding it on the blanket. Sitting down near the water's edge, he started to meticulously tear it into tiny bits and throw it on the glassy surface.

"Look at him, he's so happy," Lucky boasted proudly while he helped Emily unpack the rest of the food. Fried chicken, pasta salad, chips, soda, cookies and carrot sticks were the day's menu, perfect picnic dining. When everything was finally set out, Lucky stretched out on his stomach, pulling Emily down next to him. A wide grin was plastered on his face as he propped his head up on his fists, wanting to not miss a moment of Cameron's fun.

"It looks like he's not the only one," Emily acknowledged, laying on her back so that she could look up into his eyes. Neither of them said anything for a moment. "I'm so happy right now. It's been a long time since I could say that. Probably not since the…"

Lucky cringed as her voice trailed off, knowing how to finish the thought. He had seen firsthand how long it had taken Emily to get through the rape. When Lucky was in his coma, she had sat by his bed and pleaded for him to come back to help her. He would always believe that her needing him was what did it, just as Nikolas had saved her during her fight with breast cancer. Rather than retracing a journey neither of them should have ever had to trek in the first place, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You're safe to be happy again, Em. I won't let anything take it away from us."

"Emily, come look at the ducks!" Cam ordered.

"Duty calls," Emily murmured to Lucky before rolling off the blanket. Sitting down next to the toddler, they took turns tearing away at the bread and tossing it toward the floating birds. Just as he was about to join them, two people came up and ruined what was looking to be a perfect day.

"Lucky," Carly said quietly behind him. He turned to look at his cousin, surprised to see Jason with her. "Jason is here to talk to Emily."

"Emily," Lucky called. "I'm going to take Cameron for a walk."

"What?" she asked exasperated without looking over your shoulder.

"Em?"

"Jason?"

"Come on, Cam," Lucky ordered.

"I have a better idea," Carly announced. "Why don't Jason and Emily take a walk, and we'll stay here. Cameron looks like he is having a good time feeding those ducks."

Emily handed Cameron the rest of her bread and joined the three very tense adults. "Stay here, Lucky," she said to him softly, holding onto his elbow. She searched his eyes, trying to reassure him that everything was going to be fine with just a look. All she could see was a vacant hurt staring back her. "I'm going to go for a walk with my brother. You should go feed the ducks with Cameron and try to stay focused on him. I'll be right back."

He didn't say anything more, he just kissed the top of her head and headed toward Cameron. Jason and Carly exchanged a few inaudible words before Jason and Emily wandered off in the opposite direction. Curiously, Carly decided to see if Lucky would talk to her. They were family, after all.

"So, you and Emily, huh?"

"You and Jason?"

Carly nodded before she said, "He knows."

"And I know. She told me two days ago."

"I didn't see that one coming."

"Heh. Yeah, me neither."

"You know, I think this is the most we have talked in the past two years," she stated bluntly, surprised at how true the comment was. "I mean, you are close to Bobbie, and I've become close to Lulu. Yet, we never see each other. Why is that?"

"You hated my wife, and I'm a cop."

"Oh, yeah, there's that," she laughed. "Well, I don't think we should let that come between us. I mean, seeing as I am going to be with Jason, and you seem quite smitten with his little sister, our lives are probably going cross paths more often now."

"Carly, what's your angle?"

"For once, I don't have one," she admitted. "I just think I'm finally starting to realize how important family is, and I don't just mean my children. I mean all of it, the uncles and the cousins and the crazy Spencer drama. I want to be a part of it."

"Lulu will be glad that you're going to be around more. She really looks up to you."

"And I have no clue why," they said in unison before bursting into laughter.

"So, how do you feel about all this?" Lucky asked Carly.

She looked out across the water. "To be honest, I hate the fact that Jason is going to be tied to her forever, but I know that it really doesn't matter in the long run. He is going to be a great father, and I would never begrudge him this opportunity for anything," she retorted. "He already loves this baby, even if he can't admit it to himself yet. For him, I am willing to put aside all my anger and help make this situation as good as possible. The lies aren't his fault, just like they aren't yours."

"I was going to be a father," Lucky said emptily.

"Look at Cameron," Carly remarked. "He acts just like you. You already are a father."

"I'm afraid he won't always see me that way."

"Michael isn't Sonny's child biologically, but I have never seen a kid act so much like his father. He idolizes Sonny, mimics his movements, looks up to him more than anyone else in the world. Even after everything that has happened between Sonny and me, I would never take Michael out of his life. That is his father. Somewhere in your heart, you need to believe that Elizabeth would do the same. I don't have any use for her, you know that, but she seems to be a good mother."

"Are you actually sticking up for Elizabeth?"

"Hardly," Carly laughed, "but I am sticking up for you. You're a good father to Cameron. I've seen the way his face lights up whenever you enter a room. She might have been able to take this baby away from you, but she can't take away your son. You won't let her."

Emily kicked a rock a few feet of her and tried to think of something to say. Thankfully, Jason filled the silence with his own words. "I don't know what to do, Em."

"Do you want to be a father to this child?"

Jason stopped and thought for a moment, pondering the weight of such a question. It finally hit him, he was going to be a father. "More than anything in the world."

"Then, be a father to this baby."

"She seems intent on raising it with…"

"It's okay, I know. They told us a few days ago. The four of us aren't exactly talking at the moment. The scene wasn't pretty," Emily said. "I don't think you should take the baby away from Elizabeth, she is the mother. But I also don't think you can give up your rights. If Liz and Lucky can make the situation work with Cam, I think you can do it for this baby. I will help you in any way that I can."

"I don't want you to be forced to choose sides."

"I wouldn't, Jase," she promised. "And even if I did, you're my family. That comes first."

"And what about Lucky?"

"He's angry, but he's finding a way to deal with it. He has Cam to worry about, and we've been spending a lot of time together. He'll find a way to be okay with it."

"So you two are together or whatever?"

"Yeah, we're together," Emily told him. "And you and Carly? You're together or whatever?"

"Or whatever," Jason laughed. "You never really know what's what with Carly and me. Even when we were friends, it didn't seem to make sense but it did. I know that there are going to be people out there that won't like it, that will say I belong with Sam or that Sonny was the love of her life. Let them think what they want, I've never cared before."

"I don't know what you see in her," Emily admitted, "but I know that you see it. You fell in love with her a long time ago, and somehow, that love never left either one of you completely."

"I'm lucky," he remarked. "I got to fall in love with my best friend twice. I used to say that Sonny had taught me everything about how to live again, but I don't think that's really true. I mean, Carly was the first woman I was really with after the accident. She taught me how to be with someone, how to make love, how to fall in love. She gave me a best friend, she gave me a family, she gave me a son, she gave me a life."

"That's what I want to do for Lucky."

"By the way I saw him looking at you, Em, I think you already have."


	26. Chapter 26

1Luke came into the formal living room at the Quartermaine mansion, anticipating a mid-afternoon nap alone on the couch. He was surprised to find Lulu there, rolled into a ball in her favorite armchair in the corner. She was staring vacantly out the window, twirling a small silver band around her slender index finger. Looking at her, he felt his breath catch in his throat. She looked so much like her mother that it literally took his breath away. "Hello, Gumdrop."

"Hey, Dad," she replied without looking at him. Walking up behind her, he followed her gaze out to where she was watching Lucky and Emily chase Cameron along the lakeshore. Ruffling her blonde hair tenderly, she finally smiled up at him. "I was just watching Cam."

He nodded understandingly, waiting for her to say something more. When she didn't, he filled the empty silence with words of his own. "How are you feeling?"

"Physically, I'm fine. Mentally, I guess I'm a little tired," she admitted. "I think I can understand why Mom had to go inside herself like she did. Sometimes, it's just too hard to deal with everything that is going on. It'd be nice to be able to just fade away from the rest of the world once in awhile."

"You have gone through a lot in the last year," he retorted. "I mean, you have been through the epidemic, chasing me across the world, the Dillon fiasco, abortion, losing your mother and now the hostage situation. A lot stronger people have fallen from lesser feats. You're amazing, Lulu."

"Dillon," she repeated. "We've come so far since last summer."

"Are you happy with him?"

She smiled genuinely. "I love him, Dad. He's the one thing that is making all this easier," she spouted. "Honestly, I don't know what I would do without him. I never thought that I would be one of those pathetic girls living for some guy, but his love reminds me how much I have to live for. Not that my family isn't enough, it's just different with him."

"Now that I understand. Your mother always made me want to be a better man. It might not be exactly the same thing but I think the sentiment is kind of the same. Maybe I wouldn't have picked Dillon out for you, but who am I to talk? I seriously doubt Lesley would have ever chosen me for Laura, but I got lucky and Laura chose me. Dillon is a good man, I know that he will take care of you in a way that I never could."

"You did the best you could," she offered. "I never really understood that before, but in the last year, I've seen it. You are there for the really important stuff, the things I can't handle on my own. The rest of the time, I think you just gave me the room to grow into my own person. And even if it wasn't your intention at the time, maybe it worked."

Sitting down on the edge of the chair opposite her, he reached over and covered her hand. "Why were you watching Cameron so intently, Lu?"

"I'd be in my third trimester," she sighed, her gaze returning to the window. "I'd be big as a house, fretting over what color to paint the nursery and which clothes I wanted to bring the baby home in. Dillon would be following me around like a madman, waiting on me hand and foot. It'd drive me crazy, but maybe we would have been happy."

Luke felt instant concern for his daughter. "Honey, you made the right decision for you both at the time," he assured her. "I know that it's not fair of me to tell you to not to think about what could have been, but maybe you shouldn't."

"I know logically that I shouldn't, and I know that I made the best decision for myself. I just wish I would have known that we were going to be here, maybe the choice would have been different."

"Do you really think so, Lulu?"

She thought for a moment before finally admitting that it wouldn't have been different. The truth was, Lulu would have made the same decision every single time. Neither of them were ready to be parents, and she could have never asked him to give up his life. Even now, with them together, she didn't want to be a mother for at least five years. "I just miss it sometimes. I know that it doesn't make any sense, but I do," she confessed. "I'll wake up in the middle of the night, and the feeling is just so overwhelming that it consumes me. I can't help but wonder what if."

"You did this for the right reason."

"But I didn't just do it to me, I did it to Dillon, too. I didn't even give him a choice."

"Don't do that to yourself," Dillon said from the doorway, causing both father and daughter to turn around. He slipped into the room uninvited and sauntered to where Lulu was. Sitting down next to her, he pulled her against him and looked into her eyes. "I am in love with you, so you don't get to talk about yourself that way. You made the right decision for _both_ of us. You were selfless when I couldn't be."

"I think I'll just leave you two alone," Luke announced before leaving the room. Neither of them paid him any attention, suddenly too wrapped up in each other's presence to acknowledge Luke.

"Why didn't you tell me that you've been feeling like this, Lu? I can tell from the look in your eyes that this isn't something new."

"Every time I see a baby, I remember the one that we're never going to have," she mused. "Elizabeth is going to give birth in a couple months, our baby would have been here in even less time. They would have been around the same age, and as it turns out, they would have been cousins either way."

Dillon tilted her chin and kissed her briefly. "We are going to have children some day," he promised. "We are going to get married, have a home of our own and raise a family. We are going to live a life that neither of us had growing up. I promise, we are going to have it all. I know that will never replace the baby we don't have, but I'm hoping that it will make our past count for something."

"Take my pain away," she pleaded. "I am so tired of hurting, I don't want to hurt anymore. I just want to be here, to be with you. I want us to be happy. I don't want to worry about anything."

"I can't do that for you, Lu. As much as I wish that I could, I can't. But I can help you find a way to be okay with everything. I can support you, I can go with you to find help. I can hold your hand, listen to you talk, wipe away your tears, kiss you until your senseless. I will do whatever I can, but you are going to have to do some of this yourself if it's going to stick."

Pressing a kiss against his forehead, she smiled affectionately up at him. "I hate that you want what's best for me rather than what's easy," she pouted. "It'd be easy if you'd just fix it, you know? You could be my knight in shining armor, you know."

"As tempting as that is, my love, I want you to be complete."

"But you complete me."

"That line was awful in the movie, and it's even worse now," he taunted with a kiss. "First thing Monday morning, we're going to go to General Hospital, and you're going to talk to Lainey."

"Will you go with me?"

"I promise you, now and always, I am going to be with you every single step of the way."

Tracey found Luke in the foyer, his ear pressed to the door. "What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice echoing into the high ceiling. "Who could you possibly be spying on?"

Luke whirled around, pressing his finger to his mouth. "Our children," he answered.

"Oh, no, not that again."

"They need each other, my little pink popsicle. Something tells me that this time is very different, and there relationship isn't going to be up for discussion. I think they just might be in love with each other."

"You know that's not a good idea."

"Who am I to judge? Maybe it is," he shrugged. "Besides, who else in the world is going to be good enough for your son? I certainly can't think of anyone good enough for my daughter."

Even Tracey had to admit that they were a good match, and unlike anyone else Dillon had ever been involved with, she actually liked Lulu. "I suppose you're right," she muttered. "Besides, I don't have to get used to anyone else this way. I just don't want either of them to go through anything like that again. It really hurt both of them."

"Things are different. They're different."

"We all are," she sighed, raking her fingers through her short red hair. Luke noticed the shift in her tone, knowing immediately that Alan was on her mind suddenly. Slipping his arms around her from behind, he rested his chin on her shoulder. "I miss him so much. What am I going to do without him?"

It was one of the rare times he had seen Tracey Quartermaine drop her defenses at all. "You're going to do what you always do. You're going to gather yourself up, raise your head high and forge ahead with that determination you're so famous for."

"I hate what I am about to say, and you have to know how much it is going to kill me," she mumbled. "But I think I need your help."

"It seems to be the theme of the evening," he whispered to himself as she turned around in his arms, burying her face in his shirt. He knew she was vulnerable, and while a part of him naturally wanted to take advantage of it, another part of him just wanted to take care of him. And that was the part of him that was in love with her.

Two miles away, alone in a small hospital room, Robin Scorpio was tying the strings on the shapeless hospital gown. The thin, blue material clung to her body as she arranged herself into the wheelchair that had been left for her. "I'm ready," she called out, waiting for the dutiful nurse to return to accompany her to the lab. In just a few minutes, she would undergo a series of tests that would give her results that could potentially impact her future. Determined not to let the numbers define her, she prayed that she would get the outcome that she and Patrick so desperately needed.

"Here I am," Patrick announced as he sauntered into the room. He had the same cocky swagger he had the very first moment she had met him. "Your true chariot awaits."

"What is this?" she giggled as she made her way over to the wheelchair he'd brought in with him. Decked out with pink and white crepe paper, there was a bunch of balloons tied to each handle. It was tacky and cheesy but completely made the situation a bit more bearable.

"There it is," he grinned.

"There what is?"

"That smile that I fell so hopelessly in love with," he responded. "I thought that if you were going to be pricked, poked and prodded, at least you can arrive in style."

"It's worth it."

"I want to thank you for doing this, Robin. I know that it's not just for you but for me."

"You've supported in every decision I've made throughout this whole ordeal. You have no idea how much I appreciate you not fighting with me about everything. It would have made it so much harder if I had known that you didn't believe in me."

"Even if I didn't think that we could do this on my own, your faith in us would make me believe," he proclaimed. "You are determined that we are going to be parents, so I know that we will. I can't wait until we see our baby for the first time, this whole little person that is a little bit of you and a little bit of me."

"We both have dark hair, can you imagine how beautiful this baby is going to be?" she grinned. "I hope he or she looks like you but acts like me. It would be the most brilliant, beautiful child in the entire world."

"Maybe we should switch that around if you want brilliance," he teased with the same easy candor they'd always shared.

"I said brilliance, not cockiness."

"Well, I definitely vote against your cynicism."

"I'm not cynical!" she protested as he pushed her around the final corner. "I'm a realist."

"You are the sarcastic, cynical love of my life," he countered, "and I wouldn't change a thing."


	27. Chapter 27

"Wake up, Mommy, it's moving day!" Cameron screamed a few days later, running across the room and flinging himself onto the bed. Turning over, Elizabeth looked at the fuzzy numbers on the clock on the nightstand. It wasn't even five yet, and the little boy was already full of energy, eagerly anticipating the move to Wyndamere.

"Climb in here, Sweetie," she told him, pulling back the blankets. His little body fit perfectly next to her as she absently stroked his hair. "I want to talk to you about a few things before we get started."

Rolling over so that he could look at his mother, she smiled at how genuinely concerned he seemed. "What is it, Mommy?" he asked.

"I wanted to make sure that you are okay with us moving into the house with Nikolas," she began. "And I want you to understand what this mean. It doesn't necessarily mean that we are going to be a family, and it especially doesn't mean that he is your father. Daddy will always be your daddy, no matter where we live."

"I know," he grinned.

"Oh, you do?" 

"Sure, Daddy already told me," Cameron explained. "He told me that it doesn't matter who lives where, we are all still going to be a family. He said that he loves you and me and the baby, no matter what anyone else says. And he said that he will always be my dad and love me best and that I shouldn't worry."

Elizabeth felt a familiar tug on her heartstrings. "Your daddy is absolutely right. The only thing that matters is that you are happy, safe and loved," she said. "You and your little brother or sister are the most important thing in the world to me. Nothing could change that."

"You know what else Daddy said?" he asked, continuing before Elizabeth could reply. "He told me that I'm lucky to have so many people that love me. I have Grandpa Luke and Grandma Audrey and you and Daddy and Aunt Emily and Uncle Nikolas and Aunt Lulu and Aunt Bobbie. There are a lot of people who care about me."

"Your daddy is a smart man," Liz offered gratefully, happy that Lucky had been so careful to reassure him. "All three of us – you, me and the baby – will have our own little part of the house at Nikolas'. We can see him when you want, maybe hang out with Spencer, but still go home when you want. You're going to have your own bedroom with all the train stuff we picked out last week. And your daddy even picked up a railroad sign that he found out by the boxcar where we used to hang out a long time ago."

"Cool!" he cheered, giggling happily. "Daddy is going to move into Grandpa Luke's old house, so I'll have a bedroom there, too. He let me go over there yesterday and pick out my bedroom. I'm going to have the same one he did when he was little."

"You will have two bedrooms, two sets of toys, two places to be spoiled. You're a very lucky little boy."

Cameron grinned before leaning over to kiss his mother. Then, dropping a kiss on his mother's rounded womb, he rolled off the bed. "I'm going to go put my toys in my backpack. I told Grandma that I was going to leave some of my stuff here so that I still had toys when I came to visit her. I'm afraid she is going to be sad without me here."

"Oh, I think she will manage," Elizabeth assured him. "Besides, we'll be here so much that it will be like we never left. You don't have to worry about her. And if you ever start to miss her or your daddy, you just have to tell me and we will go visit them or you can call."

"Thanks, Mommy," he called over his shoulder before pulling the door closed behind him. Alone in her room, Elizabeth reached for the receiver and dialed Nikolas' number from memory. She waited a few moments as it rang before hearing his voice. She smiled to herself as his groggy tone filled her ear.

"Hello?"

"Good morning," she cooed.

"Good morning," he replied, instantly perking up. "It's moving day. You know, it's not too late to back out."

"Don't tempt me," she taunted.

"Hey! You're supposed to say something like, 'I wouldn't dream of it.' Instead, you ask me not to tempt you? What is wrong with this picture?"

"Nik, you know that I can't wait to move in with you. Neither can Cameron. He just woke me up, eager to get a move on the day. He's already in there packing up the rest of his toys. I can't believe how big he is getting."

"He's a very special kid, Liz. You've done a great job with him."

"I can't take all the credit, I've had a lot of help. Gram has been irreplaceable over the past year, and I couldn't ask for a better father in Lucky," she proclaimed. "I just hope that Jason and I will be able to come to some sort of a mutual agreement like I have with Lucky. I don't want to raise either of my children in a hostile environment."

"You haven't heard from him yet?"

Elizabeth sighed. "No, he promised to get back to me by the end of the week with his decision. In all honesty, I don't know what is going to happen. I want to trust Carly when she says that he would never take a child away from its mother, but people do scary things when they are angry. I'd certainly deserve it if he got vengeful. I mean, I know how I'd react."

"I know how _I _reacted," Nikolas agreed. "Still, Carly is a mother, and she has been through this same sort of situation twice. Jason has seen how it affected her. I can't see either of them wanting to put a child through it."

"I hope you're right. But enough about that, today is moving day. The movers will be here in three hours, but I think everything is pretty much packed. We don't come with a lot of baggage, unless you count the emotional kind."

"I'm a Cascading, remember?" he joked. "I think we have the market cornered on familial drama. Still, I think we're going to be okay."

She cradled the phone closer to her face, snuggling beneath the warmth of the covers. "I think that maybe it's time that we try to talk to Lucky and Emily," she said slowly. "There is too much history between us for us not to make an effort. I know there is anger there still, but I really hope that we can overcome it. They are still my best friends in the world, and I need them in my life. I can't imagine raising my child without them."

"I know," he concurred. "Lucky is Spencer's uncle, and Emily is his godmother. I want them to be a part of his life. It wouldn't be the same without them. The three of you are a huge part of who I've become, and I want you to influence my son in the same way."

"I still love him."

"You always will."

"You still love her."

"I always will."

"But it's different now," she acknowledged. "Everything has changed."

"You're not in love with him anymore."

"You're not in love with her either."

"I couldn't be, I'm in love with you."

"And I, with you."

Two other lovebirds were awake at the same ungodly hour, silently cursing the fact that they had to sneak around to be together in their own home. "Your mother still doesn't approve of this," Lulu argued as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and checked her reflection in the mirror. "I need to be in my bed when Alice makes her rounds, or Tracey will freak out. I honestly don't want to have to fight with her about it."

"We're adults, Lu, we shouldn't have to sneak around," Dillon argued, running his fingers through his messy hair. "Come on, just get back in bed. I never sleep once you go back to your room anyway."

"Well, if I remember right, you don't exactly sleep a lot when I am in here," she teased seductively. "Besides, isn't it a little fun to go behind her back?"

"We did that last summer, and remember how that turned out?"

She looked at him sharply. "Point taken. If we're going to do this, be open about everything, then I want to sit down with her and just give it to her straight out. She is either going to know nothing or everything, not anything in between. The same thing goes for my father."

"We have to tell your dad, too?"

She nodded solemnly. "Like I said, we are going to have full disclosure or none at all. I can't handle compartmentalizing my life at this point. Too much has happened for my mind to keep everything straight."

"Speaking of which, you have your counseling appointment this afternoon. Did you want me to go with you?"

"If you don't mind, I think I could really use your support," she retorted. "Lainey said that I seem to be more open when you're there. I guess I feel more comfortable knowing that you can hear everything that is going on so that I don't have to explain it later. When I get scared, I can just look into your eyes, and I know that I'm safe again."

He smiled as he climbed from the bed. Carefully pulling the elastic from her blonde ringlets, he watched as her hair cascaded over her bare shoulders. Sliding the thin strap from her tank top down her arm, he leaned down and kissed her dewy skin tenderly. "You're always safe with me," he whispered into her ear, catching her eye in the mirror before them. She nodded against him, her hands sliding down her body to cover his on her stomach. She couldn't help but flash back to a similar moment when she'd been pregnant. "Can I ask you something?"

Shaking herself from her reverie, she smiled at his reflection. "Of course, you can ask me anything."

"If I was to get an apartment, would you consider moving in with me?"

"An apartment? Move in with you?"

He laughed at her stuttered questions. "I have a housing stipend built into my trust fund for while I'm in college. I've been searching the classifieds lately, and there is an apartment for rent along the waterfront. Jason and Sonny own the building, so I'm sure they'd cut us a reasonable rate. It's two bedrooms and overlooks the harbor. It'd be perfect for our first home together."

She instantly wanted to say yes, but her logic won over for once. "Maybe it's too soon."

"Lulu, I have been living with you for the past two years, one of which I have been desperately in love with you. We sleep together almost every night and spent pretty much the rest of our time together. This wouldn't change anything."

"Yes, it would. This would be…permanent."

"Aren't we already?" 

"Well, of course."

"Then, this doesn't change that either."

_He's right_, she thought to herself. "I don't want you to take care of me, though. I would want to pay half of everything."

"I'm not even paying for half of everything, my family is."

"Dillon."

"Fine, fine," he muttered. "Look, we'll both get jobs. I'll use my trust fund to pay for the rent, and then we can split the rest of the bills. I'm sure that I could go back to working at ELQ in some capacity, even if I'm not going to be the prodigy Grandfather wants."

"And I could stay at Kelly's or maybe get a job at the hotel when Carly reopens it."

"No," Dillon insisted. "I don't want you working there."

"I don't think I need your permission."

"Lulu, I don't want to have to worry about you."

"Something like that could happen anywhere, Dillon," she countered. "I mean, it's not like anyone would have ever expected the Metrocourt to be under siege. Keeping away from that place isn't going to necessarily keep me safe."

"That's not what I meant," he remarked. "Every single time you walk by that place, you are going to remember what happened. I don't want you to put yourself through that."

"Staying away from the hotel would give Craig power. I can't let anything like that control my life, Dillon. I have to be the one who decides what is going to happen."

"I just don't want you to go through any more pain, Lu."

"I know," she admitted, turning around in his arms. Resting her cheek against his chest, she listened to the steady patter of his heart. "You're probably right."

"Look, why don't we compromise? For now, you can get a job somewhere else, and when the hotel is open again, we can go a few times and see how you feel. If you think you can handle it, then I will fully support whatever choice you make."

"Well, I could probably talk to Bobbie about getting a job at GH," she decided. "Carly said the Metro won't be ready for a few months, so I have plenty of time to think about it. Who knows where I will be by then?"

"So, you're out of excuses now. Lesley Lu Spencer, will you move in with me?"

Leaning in, she nodded slowly, their lips bumping together in a semi-kiss in the process. "I can't think of anything I want more."

"Let's go look at it now!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"We can't."

"What now?"

"Dillon," she giggled, pointing toward the window, "it's not even 6 a.m. I'm pretty sure that every sane person is still asleep."

"Hmm, whatever will we do to kill time?" he asked, licking his lips.

I think I have an idea," she murmured, pulling him down on top of her as they crashed backward onto the bed. And kill time, they did.


	28. Chapter 28

Pulling her long hair into a messy bun on top of her head, Robin was thrilled to be back at General Hospital as a doctor rather than a patient. It had been almost two weeks since the incident at the Metrocourt, but she felt like it had been an eternity. The laboratory was the one place where she still felt normal, where she could pretend that nothing had changed. Safe to hide behind her numbers and charts and graphs, she could focus her brain on anything but the horrific flashbacks and excruciating nightmares she had had to endure.

Patrick had argued with her for a half-hour two days ago when she was released, pleading that she take it easy. She was frustrated by the confines of her hospital room, preferring to be hovered over at Mac's house. At least there she could feel like she was at home. A nurse came by every afternoon to check on her, and Patrick spent all of his free time by her side. In between, there was always someone to watch over her between the girls and Mac. Her daily rehabilitation sessions also had her surrounded by a medical team, so she couldn't have pushed herself too hard if she tried.

When one of her patients had come down ill again, she had called Robin to ask for a consultation. Patrick attempted to insist that she stay home, but she felt up for a couple hours at the hospital. She just needed to find the one place where everything still made sense.

"You only have twenty more minutes before I kick you out," Monica announced from the doorway, leaning gingerly against the doorframe. The maternal doctor looked worn and tired, as if life had caught up with her all at once. Her blonde hair, usually so meticulously kept, was hanging loose from her bun. "You're not even really supposed to be here, but I know how important this is to you. I just don't want to put your health at risk because of it."

Robin smiled fondly. "I know, and I appreciate it. I just felt like I needed to be here."

"I understand," she said, and Robin knew that she did. "I've been holing myself up in Alan's office almost every evening this week, going through the files he has kept for the past 30 years. I'll finish a drawer and then move onto another. I don't know what I'm going to do when I run out of things to organize."

"That's exactly how I feel. I keep thinking that if I just stay busy, I won't remember all the things that have changed," Robin replied, twisting her wedding band nervously. "I mean, I'm happy with Patrick. For the first time in so long, my personal life is exactly where I want it to be. But I still feel restless. I can't seem to forget."

Monica came into the room and sat down in the empty chair next to Robin. "Alan was so worried about you when he came here. He kept asking me about how you were, telling me how well Emily had done. He wasn't thinking about his own health or about the fact that he was dying. He just cared about you two girls."

"Alan was a wonderful doctor and an even more amazing man. He not only inspired Emily to become a doctor, he also inspired me. When Stone was dying, Alan treated me like an adult, explaining every step as though I was an equal. And then, when I was diagnosed, he was the one who made me believe that I could live through this. Here we are, a decade later, and he was right."

"No matter what happened in life, I could always count on the fact that Alan was the best doctor I had ever seen. It's funny. I broke his heart so many times…" Tears slipped down her cheek as she buried her face in her hands. Her voice was thick with emotion, with regret. "I broke his heart so many times, but we would always put it back together. This time, his heart was beyond repair, and I couldn't make him better."

"Your husband loved you," Robin assured her. "And you know what, he's not the only one. You have Emily, the apple of the Quartermaine eye, and you have Edward, in all his frustrating glory. When it counts, you know that Tracey will be there for the family, and Ned is always dependable. And you have Jason, in his own quiet, strained, ever-present way."

"I still wish he had married you instead of getting wrapped up with Carly."

"I won't pretend that I'm glad about the Carly thing, but I think everything turned out the way it was supposed to," Robin retorted. "Jason has the life he wants, on his own terms and all. He gets to be in Michael and Morgan's lives, and he is in love with Carly. And I'm married to Patrick. This is exactly what we both needed life to be."

Emily reached up and timidly knocked on the door, hesitant to interrupt the seemingly private moment. "Sorry, Mom, I hate to interrupt you."

"It's fine, Em," Robin proclaimed. "I need to get going anyhow. I'm not supposed to even be here, I've overstayed my very kind welcome. Thanks again, Monica. I promise you won't see me again unless it's for rehab for at least a few more weeks."

"Thank you, we appreciate that," Monica teased lightly before hugging the petite doctor warmly. "And thank you for the talk, it really helped."

Nodding, Robin wheeled herself out of the room, leaving the mother and daughter alone. Emily smiled widely at her mom and raked her fingers through her long hair. Sitting on the stool across the table from Monica, she studied her mother's hands. She had seen those same long, slender fingers a thousand times, held them every single time when life got too hard…in the days after Paige's death, during her addiction, through Lucky's death, after the bus accident, through her own bout with breast cancer, after the rape. The moments were far too numerous for their short lifetime together.

"Your nails, they're a mess," Emily observed, taking her mother's hand in hers. "We both have this afternoon off, what do you say to a little mother/daughter time? We could go get manicures, have our hair done, get a facial, the whole works."

"Don't you have plans with Lucky later?" Monica protested.

"Not until tonight," Emily said. "We're going to have dinner over at Wyndamere. Nikolas asked that the four of us get together. Lucky didn't want to go, but I convinced him to at least try."

"How's that all going? Have you spoken to either of them?"

"I only spoke to Nikolas for a few minutes last night," Emily answered. "I'm not ready to talk to Elizabeth. I didn't really want to talk to Nik, but Lucky refused. So much has happened between the four of us, but we have to figure out a way to make this work. Lucky and Elizabeth have a child together, we're forever going to be entwined."

Monica considered her daughter carefully, sure that something else was going on beneath the surface. Emily wanted desperately to tell her mother what happened, but she had obliged Jason's request to keep it a secret for the time being. He wanted to be the one to tell Monica, but he needed to figure out what he was going to do first. They both knew Monica would be ecstatic about being a grandmother again, but if he wasn't going to be in the baby's life, there was no need to break her heart again. He'd already done it once with Michael, he couldn't see his mother go through that again. Then again, now that he was with Carly, maybe she would be a part of her first grandson's life. As always, life was up in the air.

"The spa sounds like a great idea," Monica decided, folding Emily's hand lovingly in hers. "I'll just go get my things together and meet you in the lobby."

Emily nodded as her mother left the room. Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, she pressed the first speed dial button. "Hello, beautiful."

"I miss you," she cooed, languishing in the desire so apparent in his voice.

"I was just thinking about all the things I want to do to you tonight when we get home from that dinner at Wyndamere," he revealed.

"Well, we'll just have to eat really fast."

"If you're that anxious, we could skip it all together. We could just go back to our room above Kelly's and spend the entire night in bed together. In fact, I wouldn't be opposed to spend the next few days in bed with you. We live above a diner, we'd have all the sustenance we need."

"Nice try, Spencer, but I don't think so. Your cheap ploys won't work with me," she laughed. "You're going to dress up in a suit, you're going to pick me up in your car, and you are going to take me to dinner. We'll eat, the whole thing will only take a few hours. And then, we can go home, and I promise I will make it more than worth your while."

"No way, not going to happen."

"Lucky," she warned.

"You drive a Jaguar," he reminded her. "You can pick _me_ up."

She giggled. "How about we compromise, and I let you drive my car?"

"A woman after my own heart."

"I don't think I need to chase after your heart, I already have it."

"That you do," he agreed. "So, I'll see you tonight in our room?"

"I'm going to go to the spa with my mom this afternoon, but I'll be home right afterward."

"Home."

"Yes, home," she repeated, slightly confused.

"We have a home together."

"It's not much but it's ours."

"Your grandfather must hate the fact that his granddaughter is living over a diner not even worth of his patronage," Lucky teased. "Then again, it probably kills him that you're with a man not worthy of your heart."

"He doesn't know how wrong he is about either. I love our little room, and I love you," she professed. "Besides, it's only temporary. I'll find something new eventually."

"Thanks," he said in mock horror.

"Ha ha," she retorted dryly. "We can look for something else."

"What if I already have something else?"

"What is going on in that Spencer mind of yours?"

"There's always my parents house. We could redo it a little, make it our own. There's enough room for you, Cameron and me. We could convert one of the bedrooms into an office for you to study and redo another room for Cam. The backyard is huge, it'd be perfect for a swing set. My mom would love the thought of us there."

"Plus, it's cheap. We wouldn't have to use anyone else's money. It's something we could actually afford on my paltry income as a medical intern and your lavish lifestyle as a cop."

"I think it's about time that we make a name of our own," he told her. "For so long, you have been Emily Quartermaine, and I have been Lucky Spencer. Our lives were predetermined by our last names, overshadowed by those who came before us."

"I love how completely you know me. I don't have to explain everything, you just get me. Sometimes it scares me how easy it has been for me to fall in love with you."

"Me too," he remarked, and she could feel his smile over the line. "Sorry to cut this short, but I really need to finish some paperwork if I'm going to get out of here on time."

"I love you, Lucky."

"I love you, Emily."

Trading goodbyes, Lucky grinned to himself as he replaced the phone on the cradle at his desk. Just as he was about to return to the large stack of paper sitting on his blotter, Jason came into the precinct. As with most of the mobsters in Port Charles, you could always tell if they were present even before you saw them in person. A buzz would fill the station, putting everyone immediately on guard. He watched the tall man look around the room for a few moments before spotting Lucky.

"Lucky, I need to talk to you."

"Jason, I can't. I have a lot of work to do."

"I've made my choice. I wanted you to be the first one to know."


	29. Chapter 29

Lucky followed Jason into the interrogation room, shutting the door securely behind him. Drawing the blinds, he turned back to the stoic mobster and looked at him questioningly. He was leaning against the edge of the table opposite Lucky, hands palm down on the Formica surface.

"Before we start talking about this, I want to make one thing clear," Jason said. "I know that you are in love with my sister, so I want to keep her out of this as much as possible. Emily has been through a lot over the past couple of years, and the last thing she needs is to fight with me again. I know it's going to be hard, but I don't want my decisions to make her life any more difficult."

"Other than Cam, Emily is my first priority in the world," Lucky assured him. "I would never put her in the middle of anything, especially something that concerned her family or friends. Ask her yourself, I've encouraged her to talk to Elizabeth and Nikolas whenever she feels ready. I could never ask her to stay away from anyone she loves, especially you."

Jason nodded, fully confident that Lucky was being honest. "Thank you, I appreciate that you are looking out for her. She needs someone like you to help take care of her." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he decided that he should probably take a seat as the conversation was bound to take awhile. Lucky was already seated, on guard almost as though he was about to start a round of questioning. "As I've said before, I have made my decision. Since you are Cameron's father and whatever happens with my child will affect him, I wanted to come and talk to you first. I figure I owe you as much."

"Jason, believe it or not, I don't blame you for what happened with Elizabeth. I don't have any right to be upset with her about you two sleeping together. It's my fault she ended up in bed with you. That's never been my point of contention."

"I know, you don't have to remind me. She lied to both of us for months, and that's a hard thing to forget," Jason commiserated. "Still, despite that, I don't want to be vengeful toward Liz. I love my child, and I am determined to do right by him or her. I know that she wants to raise the child alone, or with Nikolas, but I can't stay away from my baby. I have every intention of being a father."

Lucky folded his hands in his lap, wringing them anxiously. "I knew you would do the right thing. Once you have told Elizabeth, she and I will sit down with Cameron to explain everything."

"That's probably a good idea," Jason agreed. "As you know, I am with Carly. I know that Elizabeth isn't going to like it, but this is about the only point I'm not willing to negotiate on. She is going to be in my life, and it's likely that we'll get married some day."

"You're a braver man than I," Lucky grinned momentarily, thinking about how difficult it would be to be married to his scheming cousin. It'd be like being married to his father. "I really appreciate you coming here to tell me this, Jason. I know that this couldn't be easy on you either, but you've managed to stay calm. I'm not sure how you did it considering I lost my cool when she told me."

"Believe it or not, Carly helped with that. She reminded me of the Michael situation, and after a long talk, I could see why she wanted to lie. It may have never come out if Craig hadn't held up the hotel. In a weird way, I guess something good came out of it. Well, for me anyhow."

"It's better that we all know the truth now instead of years later. I would never begrudge a father's right to raise his own child," Lucky said. "I won't deny I wish that the baby was mine, but it's not. I still have Cam, and now I have Em. I have a different family than the one I expected to have, but I wouldn't change a thing."

As Jason was about to respond, his cell phone sounded from his coat pocket. Pulling the tiny silver device from the black leather jacket, he half smiled at the caller I.D. "Carly, I told you I would be home in twenty minutes. Stop calling me." Lucky could hear her high pitch squeal of protest followed by a fit of laughter. Studying his companion, even Lucky could see how happy Carly made him. Jason seemed different than he had with anyone in the past – Robin, Courtney, Sam. It was almost as if he was lighter, definitely more joyful. "I love you, too. I'll see you and the boys at home."

Lucky waited until he ended the call before standing up. "I don't think we need to say anything else, and it sounds like you have a family to get home to."

"I do," Jason announced. "Speaking of which, how is Em? I didn't want to call her until I had made up my mind in case she had any questions. I've been on edge and likely to snap at any minute. I didn't want to take that out on her."

"She's doing okay," he promised. "She went to a spa with Monica this afternoon. We're supposed to have dinner with Nikolas and Elizabeth at Wyndamere tonight. I don't want to go, of course, but she asked me to do it for her. She has hopes that we're going to be the great friends we once were, but I think it's still too soon."

Both of them exchanged a glance, realizing all at once how confessional their conversation had become. They had never really been friends as they lived on opposite sides of the law. However, their lives were inextricably intertwined, and they shared an unspoken bond no one else could match. "Well," Jason drawled, "I'm going to go now. I plan on telling Elizabeth tomorrow, so if you could keep it to yourself until then, it would be for the best."

"Not a word," Lucky avowed. "And I want you to be the one to tell Emily. I think it's important that she hear the explanation coming from you. She thinks the world of you, Jason, and I can pretty much guarantee that she won't be disappointed in the choices you've made."

"Lesley Lu Spencer, get your butt down here!" Tracey yelled up the stairs, her hand planted firmly on her waist. She tapped her toe rapidly, mentally counting the seconds it took the young blonde to make it to the Quartermaine foyer. Lulu came jogging down the hallway, pausing at the top of the staircase to look down at her stepmother. Her hair was a mess and her pale blue cardigan sweater was misbuttoned. Something clearly had been going on in Dillon's room. "Listen, we need to have a little chat."

"Tracey, not now," Lulu muttered, reaching up to smooth her hair. "I'm busy working on a project with Dillon."

"The last project you worked on with Dillon resulted in a trip to a clinic and a press conference outside the front door," Tracey reminded her. "Therefore, I have one simple request. If you two are going to sleep together, please do not do it in my house."

"This is Monica's house."

"Lulu!" Tracey snapped. "We have given you everything. We paid for a college that you don't go for, we keep you clothed and fed, you have a beautiful bedroom upstairs. The only thing I ask is that you not sleep with your stepbrother in your family's house."

"Fine," Lulu relented willingly. "It shouldn't be any problem. I don't plan on living here much longer, so you won't have to worry about me doing anything in your house, let alone sleeping with my _boyfriend_."

Tracey looked at her, taken aback by her brazen audacity. "You don't have any money, you can't afford to move out."

"Your son, my _lover_," Lulu emphasized just to spite Tracey, "has a housing stipend in his trust fund. We are going to use that to pay the rent. We'll get jobs to cover the rest of the expenses. In fact, Edward has already rehired Dillon to work in the offices at ELQ, and Bobbie got me a job filing at GH. Dillon will still have plenty of time for school, and I will still have plenty of time to avoid it."

"Well, you think you just have it all figure out."

Lulu tapped her finger against her temple mockingly. "Actually, Tracey, I do have it all figured out, which is why you are so angry. You know that when Dillon and I move out, you lose all the control you have over his life. You can't even hold school over his head anymore because your brother, in his infinite wisdom, left Dillon money for his college education."

"What is all the noise down here?" Dillon asked as he came out of his bedroom. He had been listening at the door for the past five minutes, thoroughly enjoying the game Lulu was playing with his mother. They hadn't been doing anything but watching a movie, but when Tracey had bellowed, they'd quickly hatched a plan just to get a rise out of her. Since Alan's death, she had been in a funk. They knew getting her riled up would bring some since of normalcy back to the otherwise vivacious woman.

Tracey looked up to find her son standing next to Lulu, shirtless with the button of his faded jeans undone. "Nice touch," Lulu murmured under her breath.

"I've had enough of this. You are still living under my roof for the time being, so I still reign supreme. I am telling you that you two cannot sleep together in this house."

"It's Monica's roof," Dillon reminded her, echoing Lulu's earlier sentiment. "And I'm an adult. And I'm with Lulu, so if we want to have sex, we're going to do it. If you don't want to know about it, I recommend that you knock before coming into my bedroom. As for living under this roof, the time is very limited, I promise you. We should be into the apartment next week. I'll make sure to leave a forwarding address with Alice when I go."

"Oh!" Tracey huffed, turning on her heal before stalking out of the room. Lulu immediately erupted into laughter, her happy giggles floating up toward the rafters. Dillon grinned proudly at her, amazed at their little game of improvisation. It was amazing what they could come up with on the fly.

"My poor father is going to have to hear about this one," Lulu managed through her incessant chuckling. "As soon as she even mentions us sleeping together, he is going to freak out. I can't believe you used the word sex in there."

"I knew the raw quality of my tirade would set her off for good. Maybe it's a little mean to poke the bear, but I think she needs to get that she cannot control my life anymore. I've lived a lifetime by her rules, and it hasn't gotten me anywhere. Two weeks of living by my own agenda has gotten me the love of my life and a new home with her. I kind of think I'll stick with it."

"Hmm, do I actually make you happy?"

Dillon quickly shortened the distance between them, drawing her into his arms. "I think that question has become rhetorical at this point. You make me the happiest I have ever been, which is quite a feat by most calculations. I mean, I am giving up living in a mansion to share a tiny apartment with you. It must be love."

As Lulu was about to respond, a loud sound shook the entire house. She dropped to her knees immediately, covering her head. It sounded too much like a gunshot for it not to shake her to her core. Dillon was next to her within seconds, wrapping his arms around her so tightly that she could barely breathe. She could faintly hear him murmuring something into her hair, but the sound echoed over and over in her mind. Finally, as he started to shout, he was able to get to her.

"Lulu, no," he insisted firmly. "We're not doing this again. You are going to stay here with me. Look at me."

She obeyed, slowly shifting her eyes from the tiled floor to his reassuring gaze. "I just remembered that night all over again. I hadn't slipped in so long."

"Are you okay?" he asked carefully, still not letting her go. She nodded timidly and then a bit more confidently. "Okay, I want you to stay right here. I'm going to go outside and see what that was. I'll be right back."

When he returned, Dillon explained that one of the chauffeurs had accidentally back into the row trashcans behind the gatehouse. It did little to make Lulu feel better. If something as simple as a minor accident could get to her so easily, how would she handle something bigger? "Dillon, I have to go."

"I know," he replied, standing up and slipping his hand into hers. "Let me just go grab my keys, and I'll drive you over. You can call Lainey on the way."

"This is more serious than either of us want to acknowledge."

"I know."

"Dillon, I'm really scared."

"So am I, Lu, so am I."


	30. Chapter 30

Lainey sat straight in her highback office chair, her ankles cross gingerly beneath her desk. Alternating between resting her chin on her upturned palm and scrawling notes in a leather portfolio, she had been in a session with Lulu for more than an hour. Question after question, the psychologist was trying unsuccessfully to delve into the inner workings of the only Spencer daughter. The headstrong blonde wasn't willing to give up anything without the doctor working hard for it. Instead, she had managed to build one of the strongest walls Lainey had ever seen. Much like working with Alexis Davis, there was no penetrating Lulu's emotions.

"Lulu, you're making my job very difficult. I can't help you if you won't let me in," Lainey explained. "There is something going on inside your head. I can see it in your eyes. Why don't you tell me about it?"

Lulu glanced up at the nurse and regarded her only momentarily. There wasn't anything she felt like sharing with the doctor, but she had known at the Quartermaines that she needed to be here. At the time, she felt ready to work through everything, but by the time they'd made the seemingly long drive to the hospital, she had changed her mind completely. "I can't."

"I have an idea," Lainey announced. "I'll be right in a minute. By the time I come back, you need to be ready to talk. We can sit here all day, it's your dime. But you're not leaving the hospital until you tell me something real."

"Whatever," she muttered dismissively, returning her gaze to the willowy oak tree outside the window. She listened to the steady clicking of Lainey's Italian leather pumps making their way down the hallway. As soon as she was alone, Lulu stood up and walked over to look out. She could see Dillon's pewter Mercedes parked in its spot. He had been standing down there the last time she'd looked out, talking into his cell phone. Now, the car was alone, and Dillon was nowhere in site.

"And I'm back!" Lainey exclaimed behind her, shutting the door securely behind her. She took her place behind the desk. "I brought someone with me, Lu. If you can't tell me how you feel, I want you to tell him how you feel. I'm going to listen to your conversation, and maybe I will be able to figure out some things from that."

"You're going to spy on me?"

Lainey shook her head firmly. "It's not like that at all. You have a hard time trusting people, Lulu, and apparently, that includes me. I think that by bringing someone else in that you already know and trust, you might be able to talk about the things you're locking inside."

"Fine," Lulu relented. "Send Dillon in."

The blonde boy came in at the sound of her voice, nervously running his hands through his spiked hair. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked quietly, sitting on the plush sofa next to her. Automatically reaching for her hand, he wove his fingers through hers and waited for permission. He knew how important this was to Lulu, and he didn't want to make her prolonged recovery any harder than it already was. "We don't have to if you're not ready."

She turned to him and rubbed he thumb over his. "I need to do this, Dil. It's probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but having you here with me is going to make it possible. I need you to help me be strong."

Pressing a kiss against her forehead, he smiled at her affectionately. Turning to Lainey, he couldn't help but pray that this would work. "Okay, I guess we're ready whenever you are. I'm not sure how this all is supposed to work exactly."

"I will take you into an observation room with two-way mirrors. You won't be able to see or hear me, and eventually, most patients forget that I'm even there. I want you to just talk to Lulu about her problems, ask her any questions you've been wondering about. There is no wrong or right thing to do once you are in there."

Following her down the hallway, Lulu wouldn't let go of Dillon's hand until they were seated across from each other at a table. The room was bare, closely resembling the interrogation at the PCPD. A single light shone over them, casting a dark shadow over Dillon's gentle eyes. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Lulu thought about the question. "Not really, but then again, I don't think I'll ever be ready," she admitted. "Still, this is the right thing for me. I need to work through this, and keep everything bottled inside isn't helping. It didn't work for Lucky, and look what happened with him. I don't want to end up like that."

"I would never let that happen to you, Lu," he vowed. "I promise you, I am going to help you get through this. Nothing else in the world matters more to me than you."

"Dillon, you can't save me from myself. We both know that. I have so much locked up inside my head, and eventually, it's all going to come out. I'm so afraid that it is going to come out on you. I guess that's part of the reason I'm so reluctant to go through everything. My dad has been tied to the memory of my mom, and I'm scared that if I did have a breakdown like she did, I'd do the same thing to you."

He leaned across the table and brushed a lone ringlet from her eyes. "You need to let yourself feel what you're feeling. I think a big reason that the feelings are so overwhelming is that they have been suppressed for so long."

"What if it happens and you don't love me anymore? You might not like everything you find out about me. I'm not even sure what's locked inside my head, Dillon. I don't want to lose you."

"I already know who you are," he reminded her. "I fell in love with you, Lu, for the person that you are. You are an amazing woman, so strong and full of life. And you also have this really great vulnerable side. I like the soft little girl that comes out when we're alone. I love that you have a side reserved for only me."

"I was so young when my mom got sick. I didn't understand what was going on," she remembered. "By the time I finally figured out that she wasn't going to get better, my dad had already fled town. Nikolas and Lucky were too wrapped up in their lives to have enough time for me, so I was left with my grandmother. I didn't have anyone."

"And now, you're afraid that once you let yourself rely on me, I'm going to leave you too?"

She looked so innocent as she nodded up at him with hooded eyes. "I've never had anyone I could depend on before you, Dillon. What if I give all of my heart to you and then something happens? I couldn't stand putting everything on the line to only have it all taken away from me. I'm afraid it would break me for good."

"I could sit here all day long and proclaim my love to you. I will do it if you actually think it will help. But nothing is going to work if you don't trust me, Lu. You have to believe in our love. If you can't do that, you're going to create a prison around your heart that not even I will be able to break you out of. I don't want that for you. I don't want that for us."

Jason stepped out of the launch and reached for Carly's hand, helping her swing up onto the pier. Before them, Wyndamere loomed like a gothic castle from a horror movie. "I don't want to do this," he murmured as they headed for the stone pathway. "I wish I could be anywhere but here."

Carly allowed herself to dream momentarily. "We could be on the beach at the island, wrapped up in nothing but each other. Or in a cozy ski lodge in Colorado, playing board games with the boys by the fire."

"If I had my way, we'd be on the back of my motorcycle, driving down an empty highway in the middle of the night. I can imagine your long blonde hair flowing behind us as we wind through the countryside with no particular destination in mind."

"We could find a little hotel off the beaten path and rent a room. We'd make love all night and then have breakfast from the vending machine in the morning. It almost sounds perfect."

Jason smiled at the though before shaking his head. "It could never be perfect without the boys. It'd be fun for a night, but by morning, we would be so desperate to get back to them. Morgan would probably call us 20 times."

As they reached the door, Carly turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned up on her tiptoes to press her forehead against his. "Well, they're expecting us."

"Tell me that I'm doing the right thing."

"I want to, but I can't, Jase. You're the only one who can decide what's right."

"How many times have you wanted me to fix your life? You can't help me this one time?" he taunted before kissing her cheek.

"You want my help? Well, I could come up with my plans…" 

"Nevermind," he laughed. Pressing the doorbell, he grabbed her hand and waited for the butler to come retrieve them. With a polite smile, Alfred led them into the sitting room where Nikolas was playing with Cameron. With their matching complexions and dark hair, they almost looked like father and son. However, Cam was far too attached to a certain cop to ever call someone else Daddy.

"Mr. Morgan and Ms. Corinthos are here, Mr. Cassadine," Alfred announced.

"Thank you, Alfred," Nikolas replied. "Jason, Carly, please have a seat. Elizabeth should be down any minute. If you will excuse me, I'm going to go check on Spencer upstairs where he's napping. Cam, why don't you come help me and then you can help Mrs. Landsbury make chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen?"

The little boy followed him obediently as they headed toward the staircase. Elizabeth met them on the landing. Jason couldn't hear the hushed conversation between them, but Nikolas soon left her standing alone. Carly noticed it too before letting go of his hand. "Maybe you two should talk about this alone."

Jason shook his head. "You are apart of my life," he insisted. "I want you to be a part of this, too. If we are going to be together, we need to have a united front. I don't want Elizabeth to think she is going to dictate what is going to happen with my life or who my child is going to be around when I am with him or her."

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," Elizabeth said loudly to announce her presence. She sat as gracefully as she could manage on the edge of the loveseat, propping her feet up on table in front of her. "If you don't mind, I'd like to wait until Nikolas is back before we start. Since you have Carly here, he should probably be present, too."

"That's fine," Jason said curtly. They waited awkwardly until Nikolas returned. The handsome prince asked Elizabeth if she needed anything before joining her on the small couch. When everyone was finally present and accounted for, Jason leaned forward anxiously to reveal his decision. "As you know, I've made my choice. I want you to know upfront that I've already discussed this with Carly and Lucky."

"Lucky?" Elizabeth asked. "What does he have to do with this?"

"He's Cameron's father. My choice is going to affect his son, so I thought he deserved to know. I wanted him to hear my explanation straight from me."

"You had no right to do that," she insisted quietly. "I should have been the one to do that."

"Well, you'll have your chance," he shot back evenly. "Elizabeth, I am not going to let you take my child away from me. I want to share custody with you. I am willing to work out a fair agreement, but I won't agree to stay out of his or her life."

Elizabeth sighed tiredly, rubbing her hands over her stomach. "You gave up Michael because you believed it was the best thing for him. Jason, your child is going to be in danger. I am begging you to think about that."

"Do not bring my child into this," Carly warned. "You have no idea why Jason gave up Michael. You weren't a part of our lives then."

"This isn't any of your business," Liz spat.

"Liz, don't get worked up, it's not good for the baby," Nikolas reminded her. "Maybe we should step out of the room. It might be more productive if they talked alone."

"I can't believe I'm gong to say this, but I actually agree with you," Carly said. She turned to Jason and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to go outside with Nikolas. Get it out of the way as quickly as you can. We have a dream to live out."

Nikolas leaned down and looked into Liz's wide eyes. "I'll be right out there if you need me. Just try to find a common ground with him. Your child deserves the best of everything."

Nodding understandingly, she waited until their counterparts were gone before returning to Jason. "I am not going to let you take my child away from me either. I'll be damned if Carly is going to raise my child."

"I'd never do that to you, Elizabeth, you have to know that. I'm just asking you to let me be apart of my baby's life. And I know that it's going to be hard for you, but Carly is going to be in my life, too. I want to marry her. She is going to be our baby's stepmother."

"No, I don't want her around my baby."

"You don't have a choice. Besides, how would you feel if I made demands that you stay away from Nikolas? It's not fair."

"Nothing about this is fair." 

"You're right. It stopped being fair when you chose to lie to everyone, including me."


	31. Chapter 31

Nikolas found Elizabeth curled up on the couch when he finally came back into the sitting room. Jason and Carly had left almost a half-hour before, but he had needed more time to himself. Figuring that Elizabeth would benefit from some alone time of her own, he'd taken a walk to the stables to visit Sheba. He had neglected his horse since the crisis at the Metrocourt, so a short ride had done them both a world of good.

"How are you doing?" he asked quietly as he sat down next to her on the couch. Elizabeth looked up at him with doe eyes, small droplets creating a damp track down her cheek. "Why are you crying? What did he say to you?"

She shook her head. "Nothing but the truth," Liz answered. "Jason wants to share custody with me, Nikolas. He promised that he won't take the baby away, but he wants to be apart of its life. More than that, he wants Carly to be apart of my child's life. They're together now, and my baby is going to be apart of their family."

He wrapped his arm around her petite body and drew her near to him. Running his fingers up and down her smooth skin, he stayed silent for a few moments. "I know you're not going to like what I'm about to say, but I'm going to say it anyhow. You wouldn't want Jason to tell you what to do with your life, so maybe it's not fair that you ask him. I mean, how would you feel if he asked you to cut me out of your life? I'd like to think that you couldn't do that."

"Of course I couldn't," she murmured, turning around to face him. She reached up for his hand and held it between them. "I would never stand for anyone telling me what to do with my life, not even the father of my children. It's just…Carly. Of all the people in the world for me to have to share my family with, why did it have to be Carly?"

"You're not sharing your family with anyone," Nikolas assured her. "Your family is your children, your grandmother and me. You are the only person that is holding the four of us together. You are our common link. This baby may be Jason's, but Carly isn't going to be the mother. I don't have any use for her, but I know that she'd never push you out of the baby's life. She'd be too scared to lose Jason."

"And Jason would never let her do that either, a part of me knows that. And if I'm really honest with myself, I can't see Carly even wanting to do that. She has her own sons, and say what you want to about her, she does love her children. I don't think she'd want to hurt a baby."

Nikolas squeezed her hand. "See, there's the Elizabeth I fell in love with," he said affectionately. "No matter what is going on, you can see the best in someone. I know this is anything but easy. Still, it's important that you try to get along with Carly for your child's sake. You don't want to raise your baby in negative situation. If you and Lucky can find common ground, I think you can find it with Carly."

"Only one small difference, Lucky and I were in love once. Carly and I have never even liked each other, let alone tolerated one another. I'm not sure that we are going to be able to get along, but I guess I can at least try."

"That's all you can do," he proclaimed before glancing down at his watch. "Speaking of Lucky, they should be here any minute. I saw Audrey's car leave a few minutes ago with Cam. Spencer is down for the evening. The four of us should be able to enjoy a nice, quiet evening."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and splayed her fingers over her stomach. "Will you help me up?"

"I'd love to," Nikolas drawled, standing up and reaching down to lift her from the sofa. Liz's body melted against his as they stood together. Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his face toward hers. Opening her mouth willingly, she allowed her tongue to dance with Nikolas' as his hands wandered down her backside. "And I'd love to take this to the next level, but our guests should be here any minute."

"Are you actually turning me down?" she teased.

"Only prolonging the inevitable," he shot back. "As soon as Lucky and Emily leave, you and I have a very important date with a bedroom of your selection. I have twelve of them, you know."

"Twelve rooms? I'll take that as a challenge," she mused as Alfred swept into the room. Turning away from Nikolas, she smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from her pencil skirt and looked at the butler.

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Cassadine," Alfred apologized. Nikolas shook his head to indicate that it was fine. "Mr. Spencer and Ms. Emily are here. They are waiting in the foyer. Shall I show them in?"

Nikolas smiled politely. "Of course, Alfred, thank you."

"Here goes nothing," Elizabeth muttered under her breath. Nikolas wrapped his arm around her expanded waist protectively and dropped a kiss onto her soft hair. "Thanks."

"I'm right here with you," he whispered back as Alfred led Lucky and Emily into the room. The two stood closely to each other, Lucky's hand resting on the small of her back. Nikolas glanced at her left hand, noting that the large engagement ring he had given her was missing. She was dressed in an olive green peasant dress, her hair loose around her shoulders. Lucky wore a black suit with a green shirt beneath the black blazer. They looked like the perfect matching pair with their complimenting colors.

"Sorry we were late," Emily said kindly as she stepped forward to hug Elizabeth. Lucky stood in his position, watching on as his girlfriend shared an awkward embrace with his brother. "The launch was on its way back, so we had to wait a few minutes. We ran into Carly and Jason on the docks."

"Yes, as Lucky knows, Jason came here to talk to me about the baby," Liz said. "He has asked that we come up with a joint custody agreement. I will have primary custody, but he will have very liberal visitation rights."

Lucky looked down at his feet and then up at his ex-wife. "I'm glad that you two could find an answer so easily," he told her genuinely. "I only hope that we can do the same."

"I'm sure you two will be able to," Nikolas replied before Elizabeth could say anything. "Would you two like a drink? The bar is fully stocked as always."

"That would be lovely," Emily answered.

Nikolas poured a glass of merlot automatically, knowing what she wanted without even having to ask. Alfred had set out a bottle of her favorite. Handing her the crystal goblet, he looked at his brother questioningly. "Gin and tonic," Lucky ordered. Emily smiled at him over the edge of her glass, winking secretively so that only he could see. He returned her grin and moved back to her side.

"Here you are," Nikolas offered before handing Elizabeth a tall glass of sparkling water. Mixing scotch and water for himself, he hated how awkward it felt for the four of them to be together. They hadn't had to make small talk in years, and now that they did, it surprised him how little they actually had to say. "How are things at the station, Lucky?"

"Fine," he answered. "We're working on a few cases, nothing major. I'm actually going to take some time off to spend with Emily while she is on spring break."

"That sounds nice," Elizabeth retorted, only half meaning it. "What are your plans?"

"Oh, we're not going to go anywhere," Emily answered. "I think we're just going to spend some time with my mom. She could use the company." 

"How is Monica?" Nikolas inquired.

Emily looked over at Lucky, immediately regretting bringing up her mother. "She's fine, I guess. We're all going through a hard time right now."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you, Nikolas," she said to her ex-husband. Lucky sensed her discomfort and set his glass down on the table to reach for her hand. Interlacing their fingers, he pulled her toward the couch and sat down. "How about you, Elizabeth? How is the hospital? We haven't worked the same shift in awhile."

"I took some time off as well. I just went back this week," she explained. "I had so much going on with the move and the baby and everything. But work is fine. Nothing really changes at General Hospital. I guess that's why I like it so much."

"I'm sorry, I can't do this," Lucky said suddenly. "This is just too weird. I thought I could do this, but I can't pretend that everything is fine."

Nikolas regarded his brother. "No one is asking you to pretend anything, Lucky. The only thing anyone has asked of you is a little respect and maybe some manners. I know that can be difficult for you Spencers, but please try."

"Why do you have to bring my family into this?" Lucky asked angrily, standing up. He paced behind the couch, ignoring Emily's imploring looks. "Not all of us were raised as royalty, Prince Cassadine. I'm sorry that we're not good enough for you."

"That's not what he meant, Lucky," Emily defended.

"Em, you don't have to protect me," Nikolas said.

She shot him a look. "I'm not doing this for you," she stated matter-of-factly. "My days of protecting you are long over. The only thing that matters to me right now is Lucky. You are his brother, and he needs to find a way to get along with you. If you two can't do it for your own sake, why don't you think of your little sister? Lulu has gone through enough without having to deal with your petty bickering. I'm tired of it."

"I'm sorry," Lucky apologized softly, dropping back to the couch next to her. "I shouldn't have picked a fight with him. I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," she assured him. "I just don't like to see you angry. I thought we had gotten past all this. Maybe you aren't ready for this."

"I promised," he whispered before looking back at his brother. "I apologize for my behavior. It's important to Emily as well as Lulu and our children that we find a way to peacefully coexist. I'm trying to work on my anger, Nikolas, but it's going to take awhile."

Elizabeth finally piped up. "It's not just Nikolas."

"Trust me, we're all well aware of that," Emily said. "But for my brother's sake and the sake of my niece or nephew, I have to find a way to get along with you, too. I was hoping that this dinner could be nice, but apparently, it was destined to be a mess."

"Where is this all coming from, Em?" Liz asked. "I thought you had forgiven me."

Emily looked at her sharply. "Do you ever think about how your actions are going to affect anyone but yourself?" she asked bitterly. "You had to know that your choices were going to ruin lives, Elizabeth. You lied to Jason and Lucky, and then you dragged Nikolas into your little world. Did you really think I would be fine with it? You hurt the two most important men in the world to me and now, you're dating my ex-husband?"

"Don't you think it's a little hypocritical of you to be angry about my relationship with Nikolas? You two were long over before we got together. Besides, I'm fairly certain your boyfriend over there was married to me before."

"Elizabeth, you can't get yourself upset. It's not good for the baby," Nikolas said.

Lucky looked at Emily. "And this isn't worth you getting all worked up about, Em. Everything is over. What's done is done. You are the one who taught me that. I don't want to see you angry like this."

She gazed at him, a soft happiness spreading across her gentle features. "Now, I'm the one who is sorry," Emily whispered to Lucky, leaning in to kiss his cheek. She forgot about Elizabeth and Nikolas for a moment as she pressed her forehead to his. Looking into his eyes, everything else seemed to fade away around her. "I guess that was me working through something. I don't like to let people see my mini-breakdowns."

"I've already seen all of them," Lucky reminded her. "I've seen the best of you, and I've seen the worst of you. I love all of it."

Returning her eyes to the two people sitting across from her, Emily smiled graciously. "I apologize for speaking to you as such, Elizabeth. It's not up to me to judge your decisions. I'm sure you did what you felt was right at the time. You're the only one who will ever know how hard that was. You'll have to live with the consequences. It's none of my business."

Elizabeth grimaced at the non-apologetic apology. "Uh, thanks. I think dinner is set in the dining room. Mrs. Landsbury has prepared a lovely meal as always. I asked her to make ribs. I know they're not Eli's, but I thought they might make do. Cam helped make dessert."

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Nikolas agreed, once again lifting Liz from the sofa. Lucky and Emily followed them quietly, their hands crossed at the wrist in a tight grip. Pulling out her chair for her, Lucky slid next to Emily and waited wordlessly while Alfred served them. When four silver trays had been set in front of them, lids removed, Nikolas looked over at his guests. "Please enjoy."

The four of them ate in silence, the only sound was of silverware clinking against plates. Every once in awhile, one would exchange a look with another before staring back down at their food. Lucky asked a few questions about Cam's school, and Emily shared a random tidbit from her latest class. Nikolas talked about Spencer's new favorite foods, and Elizabeth filled the empty times with anecdotes. By the time dessert came, they were all tired of pretending to like each other.

"I'm sorry we can't stay," Emily said as Lucky helped her with her coat. "I just don't like being away from my mother for too long right now. She's the loneliest at night. We've been staying there."

Neither Nikolas nor Elizabeth bought the lie, but they didn't really care either. "That's nice of you," Liz said as she watched Nikolas and Lucky shake hands. Emily patted Liz's hand and gave Nikolas a very short side hug. Lucky looked at his ex-wife, trying to remember a time when he had felt like this about her. Then, to the shock of everyone, he leaned over and kissed her cheek quickly. "You look very nice tonight. I've thought that all evening but haven't said that. I should have told you."

"Thank you."

"Good night to both of you," Lucky proclaimed before escorting Emily out of Wyndamere. Her arm looped securely through his, they didn't say anything until they were tucked in her convertible.

In their safe haven, Emily felt like herself again. Cupping the back of his head, she kissed him like she had never kissed anyone before. "You're incredible."

Pulling on a lock of her hair, he just smiled at her cheekily. "I know."

Elizabeth was still in the living room, not exactly sure what to do next. She wanted someone to tell her what she was supposed to do. As if to read her mind, Nikolas crossed the room and took her hand. Leading Elizabeth up the stairs with her trailing behind, they soon got to work on bedroom number one.


	32. Chapter 32

Robin focused on the pale blue wall opposite her, mentally willing her feet to work with the rest of her body. Grasping the stainless steel bars on either side of her, she took a small but painful step forward. Inhaling deeply, she tried to grit her teeth through the muscle spasm, but her legs just weren't going to cooperate. "I am so tired of this," she muttered as she took another step, a stray lock of dark hair falling across her face.

"Come on, Rob, just a few more steps," Patrick prodded her. He stood at the end of the walking trail, focused on her every step. He had started coming to her sessions after the first week when he found out that she was having trouble. So determined in everything else she did, Robin was finding her rehabilitation particularly difficult. "As soon as you get down here, you'll get your reward."

"I don't want to kiss you when I'm sweaty, Patrick," she barked. Reaching for the bar ahead of her, she swung her legs forward for another short stride. Her wedding ring twisted on her finger, scraping against the metal. Just another thing to frustrate her, she cursed uncharacteristically beneath her breath. "The reward better be good. You have no idea how much this sucks."

"Yes, I do," he retorted. "I blew out my knee sophomore year of high school playing lacrosse. I had six months of rehab afterward before I could even step foot on the field."

Robin stopped and looked at him pointedly. "Do not compare your little lacrosse accident to me being shot. Come on, Drake, you know that it's not even close to being the same thing."

Patrick grinned as she started to walk faster. He knew that if he gave her a hard time, she'd push through the pain. There was nothing she liked more than a challenge, especially from him. Robin hated to be told that she couldn't do something or to be compared to anyone else. If she knew that Patrick had gotten through something he perceived to be as difficult, she'd be damned if she was going to fail. As she took her last step and met his open arms, she smiled triumphantly. "I see my little plan work," Patrick announced, dropping a kiss onto her dark hair. "I knew you couldn't resist a challenge."

"You didn't do this, I did this!"

"Yes, you did," he remarked. "And I couldn't be more proud. You are getting stronger by the day – the progress is incredible. In a few more weeks, you won't even need any help getting around. You'll be back at the hospital full time before you know it."

Dropping into her wheelchair gratefully, she took a few deep breaths to allow her body some much-needed rest. "I can't wait to get back to work. I'm glad that Monica has let me do a little of my research here. I think I'd go insane if I had to stay at Uncle Mac's all day. Besides, I have patients that are still relying on me. The occasional surgical consult is the least I can do for them."

Pushing her toward the elevator to take her back down to the lab, Patrick knew that she was restless in her recovery. "I know that you don't like being home, but it's really important that you give your time to heal. The last thing I want you to do is have a relapse or stunt your progress."

"Trust me, if we are going to get serious about having a baby, the last thing I want to do is go backward. I have every intention of following the doctor's orders this time," she reassured him. "So, do I get my reward now? I did finish my session."

"Yes, you did," he said. "And it's waiting downstairs." Guiding them into the elevator, he pressed the button for the third floor and waited as the lift stopped on a few floors to let people on and off. Finally, when they reached their destination, he pushed her back out of the car and down the corridor. Stopping just short of the lab, he turned her chair so that it was facing a closed door with a big red bow. "Well, here it is!"

"You got me a door with a bow on it?" she asked skeptically. "Patrick, what's going on?"

"Well, actually, that's where I come in," Monica announced. Noah, Bobbie, Emily, Mac, Maxie and Georgie came to join the impromptu party. "This is a present from all of us, Robin, but I want you to know that it was Patrick's idea."

Robin smiled at her husband. "What did you do?"

"With the help of Monica and Mac, we converted a former room into an office for our favorite resident researcher," Georgie explained. "All of us worked on it. Uncle Mac and Patrick helped build all the furniture. Monica took care of the hospital administration, and Emily worked with Bobbie to get all of your data loaded into the computer."

"Georgie and I did all the decorating. We even managed to sneak in a few of your favorite things from home into the space."

"I have an office here?" she asked, her jaw literally dropping. "You mean I have my own space to work?"

Monica nodded. "I know that you are having a hard time not being here, so we wanted to build a space to accommodate your needs. I knew if we didn't make it a surprise, you would refuse because you don't want special treatment."

"But you deserve special treatment, honey," Mac said. "You are special to all of us, and the work you do here at General Hospital is special. We don't want your work to stop while you try to get better."

"Is that why you have been so reluctant to let me come back?" Robin asked Monica.

"Partly," she admitted. "We wanted to make sure that you didn't come across our little project. And it was also because I did want your body to be in good enough shape to be able to work once we did finish it. From what Patrick says, you're coming along very well."

"Well enough, in fact," Patrick added, "that Monica has authorized you to come back part time whenever you are ready. The only requirement anyone has is that you keep it at or under 20 hours per week until you have full authorization."

"Oh, I will, I promise!" she exclaimed excitedly, reaching up to hold the hand Patrick had rested on her shoulder. Little tears glinted in the corners of each eye. Looking at the family and friends that surrounded her, she felt her heart swell with pride. "Thank you all so much."

Mac stepped forward and twisted the doorknob, revealing a streamlined office with warm, comfortable touches. The aisles around the furniture were wide enough for her wheelchair, and there was a plush couch for the afternoon naps she would invariably need while she was still healing. A new computer and three photographs adorned her desk. There was one of her with her parents during their last visit to Port Charles, another with Mac and the girls just before the hostage situation and a final one of the new Drake family on their wedding day.

"This is perfect," she gasped, pushing herself until she was behind the desk. Reaching up, she ran her fingers through the cup of freshly sharpened pencils. Files filled her inbox. Flipping through them, she saw the familiar names of her many patients. "This is absolutely perfect."

Two floors up, Dillon and Lulu found themselves in the same situation they had been in for two weeks. Three days each week, they'd sit in the same room for a couple hours, staring at each other across a table while they talked about all the things Lulu otherwise chose to ignore. Once in awhile, he'd reach across and take her hand, silently pushing her to go a step beyond her comfort level.

"Dr. Winters wants us to talk about the abortion today," Lulu said quietly, looking down at her hands in her lap. "I told her that I didn't want to, but she said that it's the one topic I've been hesitant to talk about in here."

"You don't have to if you're not ready, but I really think it would be good for you," Dillon confessed. "We've talked about it before, Lu. This time isn't any different. Just look into my eyes and have the same conversation we had before."

"But no one else…"

"She never will understand like I do," he acknowledged, "but maybe she can see something that we're not. You know that she isn't going to judge you, Lu. Even if she was, I wouldn't let her. If I thought that was the way it was going to go down, there's no way I would have ever brought you here."

"You're right," she relented hesitantly. "The abortion is the single hardest decision I have ever made, and I was so afraid afterward that I was forever going to be defined by it. I mean, Elizabeth was defined by her rape. Emily was defined by her breast cancer. My mother was defined by her insanity. Lucky has become defined by his addiction. I didn't want this to be what defined me."

"Do you still dream about the baby? I remember the first few weeks afterward when you would ream about it all the time," he said. "There was more than one time when I came in to find you screaming. I'd sit by your bed and watch you sleep until I was sure you were fine."

"I never knew that."

"I didn't want you to know it at the time. You were dealing with a lot, and I didn't want to add my confusion to the top of it," Dillon explained. "I think the worst night was when you woke up and were looking for the baby. You kept screaming at me, asking who took it. It broke my heart into a million pieces."

Lulu moved her chair closer to the table and leaned into Dillon. "That was the worst one I had," she admitted. "You held me afterward. Usually, I would have been so embarrassed to let anyone see me like that, but it felt okay with you. It felt safe."

Automatically, he reached across for her hand and laced their fingers together. "That's all I have ever wanted to do for you. I wanted to create a place where you would feel safe," he said. "In those months after the abortion, I didn't want to tell you how I felt. I clung to my love for Georgie so that I couldn't hurt you. I knew that you would naturally assume that I wanted to be with you out of a sense of duty when it was really about the fact that I was crazy about you."

"You fell in love with me," she smiled. "That's the one thing I can trust in now. I know that no matter what happens, I have you to love and support me. You are how I got through the abortion, and you're how I am going to get past this. I know that some might say that's unhealthy to be dependant on you, but it's not like that. I don't need you to get better, but I want to get better for the sake of our relationship. For you, for the future we are going to have."

"Do you still have guilt about the abortion? Does any part of you regret your choice?"

"I thought I would when you and I got together. I mean, we've talked about this. Part of my reason before was the fact that you didn't love me and that we weren't together. Now, we are in love and together, so it seems like that shouldn't have been a factor," she professed. "But the thing was, that was only a small part of it. The biggest part was that we weren't ready to be parents. Even if we had been together, we wouldn't have been ready. Neither of us was in a position where we could settle down and be married, let alone raise a child. I can't regret doing what's best for everyone involved."

"I think that's why I trusted you in the end," Dillon responded. "You were the one person in the entire situation who wasn't just thinking about themselves. Grandfather was thinking about a potential heir. My mom was thinking about the Quartermaine reputation. I was thinking about myself and how this was going to affect me. But you looked at how it was going to be for everyone, including the baby."

She smiled sadly. "And that right there is what made this okay for me," she said. "You didn't make me feel guilty after the abortion. You were genuinely concerned about me. You protected me against your family, supported me when I wanted to throw my life away and stayed my friend when anyone else would have hated me. I'll never understand how you could do that."

"I was in love with you, that's how. There was nothing to forgive, nothing to be angry about. You didn't do this to punish me. You did this for me. You did this for us. No one should ever make you feel guilty about that, including yourself."

"You know what, Dillon, I feel better than I have in a long time," she said happily. "Did you notice that I didn't hold back at all? I didn't go inside myself at all."

"You did really well, Lu," Lainey agreed as she came into the room. "In fact, you've showed an amazing amount of progress in the last few weeks since you've been working with Dillon. I know that my methods have been a little unconventional, but I had to place you in a situation where you would feel comfortable. Now, I'd like to start taking you beyond where you feel safe. I want to have a session without Dillon now. What do you think about that?"

Lulu thought for a moment while meeting Dillon's steady gaze. He nodded slightly, giving her the little boost of confidence that she needed. "I can do this."


	33. Chapter 33

The next morning, Robin was back at the hospital, grateful to be behind her desk. A yellow pencil held her dark hair off her neck in a messy bun as she hovered over Monica's latest report on their mutual patient, Mrs. Cramer. An older woman in the final stages of cancer, they'd both focused on her in the days after Alan's death. They had worked diligently with the family to try to make her as comfortable as possible. An educator for more than 50 years, the older woman had agreed to be apart of a research protocol to help bring hope for future patients.

"Are you about ready to go home, Mrs. Drake?" Patrick asked from the doorway, leaning gingerly against the heavy wooden frame. A lock of dark hair fell across his mischievous eyes, earning a smile from his gorgeous wife. "I know, I'm not supposed to call you that when we're at GH, but I just can't help it."

"You can call me anything you want when we're in private," she cooed as he came in, shutting the door behind him. "I can't believe we are finally going to be at our new house. I love my Uncle Mac, but living with him isn't exactly conducive to being newlywed."

"You're telling me," he murmured, coming behind her to place a soft kiss on the hollow of her neck. "Are you still working on the Cramer case?"

Robin nodded tiredly. "The numbers just don't make sense," she explained. "By all accounts, medication shouldn't be working at this point. Monica thought she had less than a month to live almost a year ago. Mrs. Cramer has truly defied the odds."

"She's kind of like you in that way."

"Mmhmm," she muttered distractedly. She flipped back to another chart and studied the figures. Nothing added up like she had expected, but then again, it often didn't in the medical world. Finally, defeated, she tossed the charts back into their folder and tucked it among the stack in her satchel. Then, looking up at Patrick, she pulled the pencil from her hair and allowed her silky tendrils to flow around her face. "I'm ready to go home."

"Your wish is my command, Dr. Scorpio," he recited professionally, giving her a mock salute. Just as he was about to maneuver her outside, a very tired Monica knocked against the wall just inside the door. "Hey, Monica."

"Hi, Patrick. Can you excuse us for a minute? I need to speak with Robin in private."

He glanced at Robin before nodding. Kissing her intently, he waved silently to his superior and headed for the hallway. "Monica, what's wrong?" Robin asked with concern. "You don't look well."

"Mom, there you are!" Emily exclaimed as she came bounding into the room.

"Em!" Monica cried happily, wrapping her arms around her only daughter. "I've been looking for you. I came to ask Robin if she had seen you."

"Why did you send Patrick out of the room?" Robin asked confusedly.

"I wanted to actually talk to you about Em," she confessed, turning to her daughter. "I was worried when you didn't show up this morning. I knew you had the dinner at Wyndamere last night, and I was afraid that it didn't go well. When I couldn't get a hold of you all day, I was starting to get really concerned."

"Oh, Mom, I'm sorry," Emily apologized genuinely, rubbing her hands over her mother's arms affectionately. "I switched with one of the other interns so that she could go to her nephew's birthday party tonight. I was asleep at the house. Alice must not have seen me come in."

"I'm just glad you're okay."

"You look exhausted, Mom. Maybe you should take the rest of the day off and go home. Jason called me on my way here and asked us to dinner. I said that I couldn't go, but he was going to call and see if you wanted to go. He's going to bring Michael."

"Michael?" the oldest woman cheered considerably. "Well, I guess I could spare a few hours here to see my only grandchild."

"You're soon to have two," Emily reminded her. "I'm sure that Jason will be happy to give you all the latest details on the baby. But you'll have to be nice to Carly."

"Carly loves Jason," Monica said simply. "Too much has happened for anything from the past to matter anymore. I'm getting a second chance with the only son I have left, and I plan on taking full advantage of it. I owe it to both of us – and your father – to do it. And you know what, I think it's going to work out this time."

They exchanged a few more pleasantries before the matriarch excused herself to go call Jason. Once Robin was alone with Emily, she asked her what was really going on. Emily explained the awkward dinner and how she had convinced one of the students to trade shifts with her. She had needed the morning to decompress. Lucky had tried to talk to her about it, but she had refused. She wanted some time to gain a little perspective before she shared anything else on the situation. If the dinner had proven anything it was that there were things she wasn't dealing with either.

"The worst thing is, I've been encouraging Lulu to get all this help, and I think I almost need it as badly as she does," Emily confessed. "I go with Lucky to NA meetings sometimes, but we usually just talk about battling our addiction there."

"I didn't know you were still going to the meetings."

"I wasn't for awhile, but when Lucky and I got together, I thought it might be a good idea to go to a few. If anything, it was to show him support at first. But when an overdose patient came in last weekend, he offered me drugs to not file the report. A little plastic bottle of pills is all it took to tempt me. No one would ever think that I'd go back there again, but it would have been such an easy option. Going throw the trauma of the hostage situation and losing my father has triggered the need to escape inside my head."

"What about Lucky? How is he dealing with everything?"

Emily smiled widely. "You know what? He's doing great. He talks a lot at the meetings, really shares how he is feeling with everyone. Barring something else happening, I think he's past the point of returning to drugs. I think if he has dealt with everything that has happened for now, he really can get past anything."

"And how is Lulu? I keep meaning to go by and see her. She took very good care of me when we were in the Metrocourt."

"I haven't seen her in a few days, but Lainey said that she is still going to her sessions. I know that Dillon has been going with her. She had kind of a break through the other day, but the ever-professional Lainey wouldn't tell me anything else. We're supposed to have dinner with them tomorrow. You two should join us."

Robin thought for a moment. "I'll agree to it on one condition."

"What's that?"

"I want you to invite Elizabeth and Nikolas, too."

"We just had dinner last night, and as I told you, it obviously didn't go very well. I don't want to do it again, at least not so soon."

"Then, do it for Lulu because it sounds like she really needs the support of her family, and whether the four of you like it or not, Elizabeth and Nikolas are just as much apart of that family as you and Lucky."

"I know, I know. The one thing we have all agreed on is that we need to focus on Lulu and the boys. Even if we can't stand each other, we all agreed that we have to make it work for them. Lulu is in such a vulnerable place right now."

"So, what do you say to dinner?"

"Fine," Emily relented, "but if you want them to come, you invite them. I don't want them to think we're reaching out to them or they might get the wrong idea."

Robin agreed on the condition that Emily would convince Lucky to come. She was also responsible for setting things up with Cook since they'd have it at the Quartermaines, and inviting Lulu and Dillon.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Emily, Lucky was meeting with his brother to talk about their little sister. Dillon had called that morning to tell him about Lulu's latest session. Lainey was requesting a family session that would include both siblings as well as Luke and Dillon. She'd even requested that Tracey attend, but that was still up for debate. Luke wasn't sure that it would be productive for either of them, and Dillon didn't want to be forced to choose sides.

Shoving his keys into his pocket, he jogged into Kelly's and motioned for his customary cup of coffee. With a pleasant smile, Mike brought it just as Nikolas came in. "I'll be back with another," he said as Nikolas took his seat. Lucky just gulped the hot brew nervously.

"I'll get straight to the point," Lucky stated. "Dr. Winters has asked for a family session for Lulu. She wants all of us to understand where she is at in her recovery. I know firsthand how overwhelming they can be, so I think we need to agree to get along for her sake."

Nikolas obliged his request happily. "Who else is going to be there?"

"My dad, Dillon, us and maybe Tracey," he listed.

"What about Emily and Elizabeth?"

"She didn't ask about either of them. Since neither of us is technically married, I guess it didn't necessarily occur to her."

"It's probably better to keep it as simple as possible," Nikolas decided aloud. "Although, they are both apart of her past and her future. They are part of her family."

"I don't want to put Emily though anything else right now. She's had all the heartbreak she can handle," Lucky countered. "I'd prefer that Elizabeth not be there either, but that's up to you. Lulu still isn't entirely comfortable with the situation, but she is working on it for your sake and Cam's. I don't think it's fair to take something that is supposed to be about her and ask her to compromise. Lu never really asks us for much."

"She's so much like Mom it nearly breaks my heart."

"I think that's the first thing you have ever agreed with my dad on. In fact, I think he's said that exact thing to her more than once. He's certainly shared the insight with me."

Nikolas grinned for a moment. "You want to hear something funny? I always liked that Luke had a nickname for me. It made me feel like part of the family," he remembered. "You were Cowboy, Mom was Angel and Lulu was Gumdrop. He called me Prince. Sure, it was cynical and dripping with distain, but it was a nickname nonetheless."

"That's kinda twisted," Lucky laughed. "But maybe you're onto something there. I mean, he calls Tracey his Pink Popsicle."

"And you call me twisted?" he taunted. For the first time in awhile, they truly felt like brothers. Nikolas entertained the thought briefly that maybe everything was going to be okay. It certainly wasn't beyond the realm of possibility. "We're okay without the girls."

"My anger isn't about you, but when you're with her, I know that you're taking her side. That's hard for me."

"I know. I can't say that I blame you, Little Brother, but I love her. You know what it's like to be in love. I saw it last night when you were with Em. You want to protect her from anything that is going to hurt her. That's how I feel about Liz."

"I'm glad that she has you. She is going to need you when she has this baby. Elizabeth is a strong woman, but she can only take so much. I am trusting you to take care of my family."

"They're still your family."

Lucky shook his head. "My family is Cameron and Emily now, and I'm okay with that. It's what I want, they're who I love. I care about Elizabeth deeply, and I will until the day I die. But you are her home now, and I am asking you – as a brother and a friend – that you take care of her, the baby and even Cam when he's there."

"As long as I have breath in my body, I will protect Elizabeth and her children. You have my word," he avowed. "And I ask the same thing in return for Cameron and Emily."

"You know that I will."

"We're going to be okay, Lucky, you know that? This conversation tells me that we're going to make it through this."

"We're getting there, Nik, we're going to get there."


	34. Chapter 34

On a particularly balmy evening, four very different couples came from four different places for one very mutual cause. Elizabeth and Nikolas were the first to arrive, a notable nod to the prince's good manners and proper upbringing. His sleek black limousine arrived at Wyndamere as punctual as ever, and he thought that maybe everything was going to work out for the night. Hoping against hope as he swept down the stairs, he couldn't help but pray that his thoughts were correct.

"Elizabeth, the car is here to pick us up!" he called up toward her wing. Dressed impeccably in black trousers and a crimson button-up shirt, he stopped to adjust his collar nervously in the mahogany mirror above the fireplace. He could hear Elizabeth respond, indicating that she would be down in a minute. Deciding upon a small drink to calm his nerves, he happily poured scotch into a crystal tumbler. The oily liquid slid down his throat, coating it with warmth and courage.

"Here I come," Elizabeth proclaimed as she made her grand appearance on the landing overhead. Looking up toward her, Nikolas felt all breath leave his lungs as he gazed at her adoringly. With her strapless crimson dress, kitten heels and flowing hair, she was the picture of perfection. Stepping off the bottom stair, she spun in a circle, allowing her skirt to flail out slightly. "Well, what do you think?"

"What do I think?" Nikolas mused aloud, moving over to wrap her in his warm embrace. Kissing the side of her neck, he growled in her ear hungrily. "I think that you look incredibly sexy, especially with the baby bump."

She smiled appreciatively as he slid their entwined hands down over her rounded stomach. Turning around so that they were both looking in the mirror, she leaned back against his chest. "I'm really nervous about this, Nik. I mean, last time didn't go so well, and I don't know that this time is going to be any different. I'm nervous that this is going to do more harm than good. I don't want our problems to affect your little sister."

Breaking away, he raked his hands through his hair. "I have to try to do this for Lulu, Elizabeth. I understand if you can't go, but I hope that you will. Emily hasn't asked me for anything since everything went down, but she wants to find a way to make this better for my sister. I owe it to both of them to at least try."

"You owe Emily? I don't think she was exactly hurting when she turned to Lucky," Liz replied. "Everyone is always so worried about hurting Emily. Lucky is certainly wrapped up in her. What about me? Are you going to be loyal to her or me?"

"I wasn't aware that we were on different sides," he responded. "Liz, I promise that you are my first priority, right up there with Spencer. But I still care about Emily. Maybe I'm not the one who hurt her this time, but I've hurt her plenty of times in the past. I still want her in my life, so I have to try."

"Fine," she relented. "Just don't ask me to pretend that Emily is innocent in all of this. She is just as much a part of this as I am."

"Let's not talk about this right now," he pleaded. "Let's just try to find a way to get through dinner. It is only an hour at the Quartermaines, we've done it a million times. We will figure out a way to make this work, I promise."

Emily reached up and straightened Lucky's tie, letting her fingers trail down his toned torso as she smiled at the handsome cop. "There you go," she said as she turned to affix her necklace around her neck. They were holed up in their room at Kelly's, enjoying a little alone time after a hectic work schedule all week. At first, they had talked about finding somewhere to live together, but Emily found it rather exciting that they had a secret place to rendezvous. They were together most nights anyhow, either at the mansion or at the old Spencer house where Lucky was staying.

"You know, we probably should have gotten ready at your house. I mean, you are officially the host," Lucky told her as they headed out of the café. Slipping behind the wheel of her luxurious sports car, he couldn't help but enjoy the power the vehicle exuded. "I still love this thing."

"I could care less about it. I'd be happy driving around in your cruiser all the time if you want to trade," she teased.

He chuckled brightly before putting the car into reverse. "Somehow, I don't think Mac would quite approve of that. He has this thing about boundaries."

"Speaking of boundaries, how do you feel about tonight?" Emily asked. "Are you nervous about us all being together?"

Lucky shook his head. "As long as you are on your best behavior, I think everything will be fine. We can't have anymore episodes like the other night. I wouldn't usually ask you to act different than you want, Em, but I want to protect my little sister. She needs to see that we're all still there for her."

"Are you guys going to tell her about the family session tonight?"

He nodded. "Nikolas and I agreed that it would be the best thing for her if we could do it as quickly as possible. I don't want her to feel like we are attacking her or that this dinner is about this, but I also want her to know that we are all going to be there for her. My dad and Tracey have agreed to be there, and Dillon will bring her to the hospital. I'd like for you and Elizabeth to be there, but I'm going to leave that up to the two of you. If you don't think you can handle it, I understand, but I'd appreciate it if you could at least try."

"I'd do anything for your sister, Lucky, you know that," Emily said. "She's apart of my family, too. Not just because my aunt is married to your dad – which is weird every time I say it aloud – but because I've always been apart of her life. First as your best friend and then as her sister-in-law. Even if it's not legal, I still feel like she's my little sister. Elizabeth does, too. Nothing could change that."

Robin grumbled as she waited for the van's lift to lower so that she could roll her favorite new accessory, her chrome wheelchair, into the vehicle. "I can't wait until I get out of this damn thing," she said, probably for the thousandth time in the past month. "Besides, it's just not fashionable."

"You Parisian snob," Patrick teased as he strapped the wheels in and jogged around to the driver's side. Glancing at her in the rearview mirror, he turned around and flashed her a winning smile. "You look very beautiful, by the way."

"I've been waiting for you to say that for the past five minutes," she replied, "but thank you." Skirts didn't tend to work well for her quite yet as she wasn't use to material getting caught in the spokes. So, instead, she had opted for an emerald sweater and black flared pants. She had insisted, however, on heels. Patrick had helped her strap them on, all the while wondering why it mattered. She had explained that while it didn't make much sense logically, it impacted how she felt about herself.

"You know, I've never been to the mansion. I bet it's pretty lavish."

"Not anymore than Wyndamere," she said dismissively. Truth be told, she knew that the house was ornate, but she'd been around it enough to not be impressed by the house anymore. It was more the people inside that had had an effect on her. Between Lila's incredible grace, Alan's infinite patience and Ned's heartfelt friendship, the Quartermaines had long been a second family to her. Everyone except Tracey seemed to adore the petite brunette, and even her distain was limited.

"So, why exactly are included in this evening?"

"I think we are what is referred to as the buffer couple," Robin answered. "But I'm happy to do it because these are my friends. Emily and Elizabeth helped save my life, and Nikolas and Lucky have been my friends forever. If it helps them feel more comfortable if we're around, then I'm willing to do that. Besides, you know that Lulu needs this. As doctors, we are morally obligated to help with her progress in any way we can."

"I don't know about that," he said as he turned the car toward the gatehouse, "but I am willing to at least try to make tonight bearable. I won't even pick any fights with you. You can say or do whatever you want, and I won't let it faze me."

"Now that's a plan I can live with," she grinned as he pulled the van to a bumpy stop just outside the front door. The expansive white house unfolded in front of them in all its majesty. She heard him take a deep breath and then exhale loudly. "Okay, so it is a little spacious."

"I think that's putting it lightly," he commented before swinging himself out of the van. Pressing the lever to lower her out of the van, he waited patiently until she had rolled out and onto the cobblestone drive. "Well, Mrs. Buffer, are you ready to go?"

Upstairs in Dillon's room, Lulu rushed around trying to find her missing red ballet flat. He was sitting patiently on the bed, having been ready for nearly a half-hour. Finally, spotting in beneath a chair across the room, he strode over and held it up for her to see. It dangled on the end of his index finger as she retrieved it thankfully, laying a gentle kiss on his lips. "Thanks, I've been looking for that!" she exclaimed before ambling over to put on the rest of her makeup.

"We live here, and we're going to be the last ones down to dinner," he remarked absently before flipping open a film magazine tucked on his nightstand. They had spent most of the day packing, filling brown packing crates with the contents of Dillon's life. Lulu's room was to be attacked the next day. Boxes of DVDs, books, clothes and other miscellaneous items littered his room. Tomorrow, they planned to pack her CDs, shoes and everything else she had hauled to the mansion. Their apartment was finally open, and as a special treat to her before the family session, he had arranged for them to move in immediately. They still hadn't broached the subject of the session, so he wanted to give her a soft place to land.

"You know, there are a lot of people out there who probably don't really think we belong together," Lulu said offhand as she pressed an earring through the lobe. "I wish that they could see what we see and maybe they wouldn't be so preposterous as to deny what we share. I mean, for me, it's always been so obvious."

Dillon nodded. "It is obvious. We are the people who hold the fate of our lives in our hands, not them. Sometimes, people get things so completely wrong that it takes something like us to make it right. It's like a television show where the writers deny what the viewers can so plainly see. It's frustrating to have the writers – or in our case, our parents – try to prevent the inevitable. But in the end, what's right always comes around."

"And there's my little film buff that I love so much," she cooed, dropping the mascara tube back on the bureau to make her way toward him. Sitting on his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck and languished in a long, sensual kiss. "I love you so much."

He smiled against her lips, "I love you so much." Then, picking her up, he started toward the door. "I just heard the doorbell. It sounds like our guests are arriving downstairs."

"They're not our guests," she pointed out. "This is Emily's dinner. We're lucky to just be just the guests. I have this sinking feeling that they're going to make this about me."

"You're probably right," he said mystically.

"What do you know, Quartermaine?"

"Nothing, Spencer."

"Dillon, tell me."

He reached for his hands and laced their fingers together. "This is about you, but I promised that I wouldn't say anything else until everyone was together," he answered. "I'm sorry, I know you're not going to like that answer, but it's all I have. You need to hear the rest from your brothers."

Lulu dropped his hand and shot him an angry look. He stared back at her until her face fell slightly into a bright smile. "You're lucky that I love you."

"Yes, I am."


	35. Chapter 35

Lulu followed Dillon down the staircase dutifully, happy to see both her brother posed awkwardly in the main entryway. Jogging past her boyfriend, she leapt down the final steps and rushed into Lucky's arms. Hugging him tightly, she felt as though it had been years since she had last seen him; in reality, it had been just a couple weeks. "Lucky, you're here!" she murmured excitedly, clinging to her brother like she did when she was a little girl.

"Of course I'm here, Lu, I promised you that I would come," he replied into her hair, happy to see his younger sister acting more like herself. "Besides, I don't think that Emily here would have forgiven me if I hadn't shown up."

"Well, then I have you to thank for forcing my brother to put on a tie and come to dinner," she smiled at her former sister-in-law. Moving away from Lucky, she embraced her loosely, careful not to rumple either one's dress. "You look absolutely lovely, Emily."

"You look amazing yourself, Lulu," Emily replied warmly. She looked over the blonde's shoulder to her ex-husband. Nikolas was beaming at them proudly, glad to see that they had managed to keep their close relationship in tact, even after all the drama that had passed between them.

"And there's my other brother," Lulu announced, turning around to go to Nikolas. He looked as dashing as he ever did, and his handsomeness was not lost on anyone. "Thank you for coming, Nikolas, you have no idea how much this means to me to have you all here."

"Yes, I do," he whispered into her ear as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. His arm was still linked around Elizabeth's waist. The nurse had remained quiet so far, not sure where exactly she stood with most of the people in the room. "We both do."

"Hello, Elizabeth," Lulu greeted her stoically. Part of her wanted to be angry, but the part of her that loved her oldest brother knew better. Reaching out, she took Elizabeth's hand softly and squeezed it. "I am so glad that you and Nikolas could make it this evening."

"Thank you," she retorted quietly. A look of understanding passed between them, and at once, they had reached a point of mutual comfort. "Cameron was so mad at me for not letting him come. He kept telling me how much he missed his Aunt Lulu."

"We'll have to come by soon for a visit," Lulu decided, looking over to Dillon for support. Taking her signal, he moved next to her and rested his open palm on the small of her back. "I haven't been out to Wyndamere in quite some time. We promise to come spend time with both the boys very soon."

"They would like that," Nikolas said.

"And Robin and Patrick, thank you so much for joining us this evening," Emily said for the group. "This whole thing wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for my conversation with Robin. I'm glad that the eight of us are all going to be together in a situation that does not involve a hostage situation or a hospital."

"I'll second that," Patrick laughed.

"Now, I believe Cook has prepared drinks for everyone if you would like to adjourn to the sitting room," Emily announced. "There is plenty of wine and sparkling water for everyone."

"I wish I could have a glass of wine," Elizabeth complained good-naturedly as Nikolas led her into the formal living room. "I could really go for a glass of merlot right about now. I miss that taste."

"Only two more months," he reminded her before handing her a highball filled with water. Pouring dark red liquid into his own goblet, he sat down next to her on the loveseat.

"Do you think I could sneak a glass of the white?" Lulu asked Emily. The young doctor shrugged, it was a special occasion after all.

"Make that two," Dillon said, taking one for him and handing the other off to his girlfriend. They chose the chair to the left of the sofa, Dillon in the seat and Lulu perched on the edge.

"I'll have water," Lucky and Robin ordered at the same time.

"No vino?" Nikolas asked gingerly.

"We're trying to get pregnant," Patrick admitted, slightly embarrassed.

"Congratulations!" Emily squealed excitedly, rushing around the serving table to hug her friend. "I am so happy for you. I can't wait until I have kids."

"Let's not rush anything," Lucky joked.

"It'll come soon enough," she acknowledged, grinning at him widely. "Well, let's have a toast now that everyone has their drinks. Who wants to say something?"

Lulu looked around the room. "I think we should all say a little something and then have one big toast," she told them. "And I think that Nikolas would be the perfect person to start."

"Well, since you're catching me slightly off guard, I'll have to do this extemporaneously," he chuckled. The group moved to the middle of the living room, holding their glasses high in the air. "To the bonds of friends, may no one have the strength to break the bonds we've worked to build."

Elizabeth was next. "To the children who have already come into our lives and the ones in the years to come."

"To finding your passion and living for it," Robin toasted.

"To finding the person you are passionate about and sharing your life with her," Patrick added.

Emily looked over at Lucky as they heard those words. "To discovering the things we loved in ourselves and in others."

"To health and happiness, two things that are often overlooked and terribly difficult to attain and maintain," Lucky put in.

"I'll drink to that," Lulu remarked, lifting her cup a little higher in the air. "To family, for staying by your side whether you want them to or not."

"And to Lulu, maybe the one thing that connects us all the most," Dillon concluded. Everyone made sounds of agreement except Lulu as they clinked their glasses together.

"I'm going to go into the kitchen to check on dinner," Emily told everyone.

"I think I'll come in with you," Nikolas decided, following her out of the room.

Lulu and Dillon moved to talk to Robin and Patrick near the fireplace, giving Elizabeth and Lucky a minute alone. "She seems to be doing well," Elizabeth said. "When are you going to bring up the session?"

"Maybe after dessert. I know Lulu, and she isn't going to like this idea. She's going to feel like everyone is ganging up against her. I hate that we have to do this to her, but I also know that it's for the best. I mean, my dad wouldn't agree to it if it wasn't."

"I knew it was serious when Nikolas mentioned that Luke and Tracey were going. I can't even imagine what that conversation was like," Elizabeth mused. "Dillon seems to be taking care of her."

"My little sister is in love," Lucky agreed. "I'm glad that she has him. No one else has ever made her feel this safe. She trusts that he's going to be there, and that's something she really needs. What's more is that I trust that he's going to be there."

"They remind me of us when we were that age," she admitted, looking down at her feet. "You and I were always compared to Luke and Laura, but looking at those two, I think they are the reincarnate of your parents. We never quite fit the bill."

"Maybe not, but we had something pretty damn incredible," he avowed. "I'm really glad that you are going to stay in my life, Elizabeth, and I don't just mean through Cam. I don't think my life would be as great without you as my friend."

Elizabeth reached up and cupped his cheek affectionately. "You're a good man, Lucky Spencer."

Emily came back into the living room at about that time with Nikolas behind her. Both of them were not too pleased to see their counterparts in such an intimate moment. Clearing her throat harshly, she told the crowd that dinner was ready. Elizabeth turned around slowly and looked at her significant other and best friend. Both of them stared at her stonily. "I don't want it to get cold," Emily murmured before turning back toward the dining room.

"Great," Lucky muttered, lunging past his ex-wife to retreat after his girlfriend.

Lulu, Dillon, Robin and Patrick all followed behind, leaving Nikolas alone with Elizabeth. "I'm sorry we interrupted your moment."

"Come on, don't be like that. That was the first conversation I've had with Lucky that didn't have an ounce of anger in it. We're finally in a good place."

He ran his hands over his face, trying to soothe his jealous nerves. "You have to understand how hard it is to see you like that," he explained. "A part of me is always going to be afraid that you're going to go back to him, Liz. I just don't want to lose you."

"And don't you think I worry about the same thing? Your love for Emily was so heartfelt and deep, it scares me to think that ours will never reach such great heights. What if you wake up one day and want to go back to her? Your fears are my fears, Nikolas."

"This is silly," he told her, shaking his head. "Tonight isn't supposed to be about this. It's about Lu. We can talk about this later."

Meanwhile, in the dining room, Emily had taken her place at the head of the table. Lucky, Dillon and Lulu lined the left side of the table. Robin's chair had been moved to the other head of the table, giving her plenty of space to move around. Patrick took her immediate left, leaving two empty spaces between himself and Emily. Wordlessly, Nikolas slipped into the chair beside Emily while Elizabeth sat next to Patrick.

"So nice of you to join us," Emily barked at Elizabeth.

"Emily," Lucky warned beneath his breath.

"Lucky," she shot back.

"I'm sorry about earlier. It was nothing," Elizabeth tried.

Lulu looked confused. "What happened?" 

"Nothing," Nikolas and Lucky insisted at the same time.

"It wasn't nothing," Emily countered.

"We'll talk about it later," Lucky replied.

"Can we not do this?" Elizabeth pleaded.

"Dillon, what's going on?" Lulu asked.

"You guys stop," Dillon said evenly.

"We can't keep hiding everything from her. It's not going to help if we just sweep it under the table," Nikolas said.

"That's not up to you," Lucky retorted.

"And who is it up to, Lucky?" Emily asked hotly.

"She doesn't need to be involved in our mess," Elizabeth spoke up.

"My question was for Lucky," Emily told her.

"We all know who the question was for, Emily," Nikolas muttered.

"Don't talk to her like that," Lucky said.

"Please, you guys, this isn't necessary," Dillon tried again. Lulu was next to him, her eyes darting from person to person with every comment. She was hunched over, her head resting in her hands. He could see her slowly starting to recede.

Patrick looked at Robin. "So much for buffering…"

"Yeah, I don't think we belong here," Robin said.

"I don't think that Elizabeth belongs in my house," Emily decided.

"Oh, grow up!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "We're all tired of your self righteous diatribe."

"Self righteous?" Lucky laughed. "This is coming from you?"

"Oh, what, you're on my side now?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, weren't you just sharing a little moment with Elizabeth? You sure jump from woman to woman, Spencer," Nikolas taunted.

"Not anymore than you do, Cassadine," Lucky barked.

"Stop please." Dillon glanced over at Lulu again. Her hands now covered her ears, her head fully bent over. Long blonde hair covered her clenched eyes as she started to rock back and forth. Standing up, he slammed his fist on the table. "I said stop!" he screamed. "Stop fighting and stop yelling." The four bickering adults looked up at him. He didn't say anything else as he knelt next to Lulu. Taking her hand into his, he helped her stand up and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay, it's over," he said repeatedly until she finally stopped shaking.

"Lulu, we're sorry," Lucky apologized immediately, standing up out of concern for his sister.

"We shouldn't have done this in front of her," Nikolas stated.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here," she said through her tears. "I'm not broken. I'm right here. You can't pretend that these problems aren't real. It's not going to help me get any better."

"We know that, Sweetheart," Emily said. "We just didn't want to make things harder on you. We realize now that keeping you out of the loop was wrong. Our actions affect your family."

"You all are my family," she nearly shouted. "I have two brothers who have given me two sisters. I can't stand to see you all hate each other. The anger, the petty bickering, all of it – it has to stop."

"We're going to work on it," Elizabeth promised. "No more keeping you in the dark."

Lucky looked over at Nikolas, reading his brother for mutual agreement that now was the time to break the news. He nodded slightly, silently giving permission. "Actually, Lu, that's part of the reason we're here. I had a call from Dr. Winters last week."

"Why don't you sit down?" Dillon suggested, helping her back into her chair. She looked at him suspiciously, knowing that something was going on that he hadn't told her about.

"She called Lucky and I to request a family session, Lu," Nikolas explained. "She wants to have everyone come in to help figure out what is going on with you and which way to take your treatment."

"Why didn't Lainey tell me this herself?" she demanded angrily, looking straight at Dillon.

"She thought it would be better coming from us," he answered.

"So, the three of you knew about this and didn't tell me?" she sobbed. "How could you not tell me about this, Dillon? You purposely kept this from me. This is my life, my mind. How could you do this? I'm not a child."

"No one thinks that," Emily said softly. "We all just want to find out the best possible treatment for you, Lulu. I don't think we fully understood where you were until tonight."

"And now you all know that I'm crazy."

"You are not crazy," Lucky insisted strongly. "You might be going through a hard time right now, but you are not crazy."

"How do you know?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"We know because we love you," Dillon stated confidently. "I love you so much, Lu, you know that. If I truly thought you were crazy, I would want you to get the best possible treatment, and I know that would take a lot more than outpatient therapy. You would need to be in an inpatient facility."

"Lulu, we know that you can beat this," Elizabeth said. "We all just want to help you in any way that we can. If this session could help even a little bit, I think we all owe it to you to try."

"I don't want to hear you all tell me what's wrong with me," she explained. "I want to be apart of this, not the cause of it. I don't like to have things just happen to me without my consent. That's what this feels like."

"It won't be like that at all," Lucky assured her. "I won't let it be, I promise."

"We're your big brothers, we're going to protect you however we can," Nikolas promised.

"And Dad is going to be there, and you know that he would never let anything happen to you that you're not comfortable with," Lucky avowed.

"And I will be next to you every step of the way," Dillon added. "It will be just like all the other sessions where it's been just you and me. Lainey is going to set it up just like our talks so that you'll feel safe. I'll even bring in snickerdoodles and hot tea so that you can feel like it's just conversation over an afternoon snack."

"Do you promise?" she asked Dillon before addressing the entire room. "Do you all promise."

"I promise," Dillon said, laying a kiss on her palm.

"We promise," Nikolas and Lucky said in unison.

"What about my sisters?" Lulu asked Liz and Emily. "Will you two come, too? I could use all the support I can get. I mean, Em, you can help keep Tracey in check, and I could always use a little maternal love from you, Liz."

"I would be honored to be there," Elizabeth replied.

"Of course we'll be there for you," Emily remarked.

Looking over at Robin and Patrick, who had remained silent up until then, "Well, I guess you two are off the hook on this one, unless you want to come. It'll probably be a lot like this, which I guess could be kind of entertaining."

Patrick smiled wryly. "I think we'll pass."

"Alright, I'll do it," Lulu decided. "Bring it on."


	36. Chapter 36

_This one is dedicated to a fellow writer on the site who shares my mutual distaste for the current state of our beloved DiLu. And I swear if they even put Georgie and Dillon back together, I'm beyond over it. Anyhow, I'm going to keep writing those wrongs…_

Dillon woke early the next morning with the events of the night before fresh on his mind. Lying in the middle of his plush bed, he could see the top of her messy blonde mop peaking out from beneath the white down comforter. She had slept peacefully for once, not waking at all from the horrible nightmares that had plagued her recently. Tucked in the crevice of his body, Lulu had managed to find the first night of fitful rest she'd had in weeks. He couldn't believe that she could do it after everything else that had happened last night.

Brushing his hands over his face, he leaned forward and studied himself in the mirror. His green eyes were tired, showing visible signs of an age he wouldn't reach for many years to come. So much had happened in the past year, from the abortion to Laura's return to the hostage situation. He had spent months worrying about the feisty blonde, holding vigil from afar when she couldn't stand to let him in. Now that she had, he had never been more worried about her. There was so much at stake here, most of all being Lulu's sanity.

"Hey," she whispered sleepily, kicking her barefoot against his back softly. "What's wrong? And don't even try to tell me that nothing is wrong because I can see it in your posture. Your back is all tense, and it only gets that way when you're lost in thought."

"I was just thinking about last night," he admitted. "I was thinking about how far we've come in the last year. I was thinking about how incredibly strong you are. I was thinking about how good it felt to you have you in my arms last night. I was thinking about how much I love you."

"Well, that's an awful lot of thinking for this early in the morning," she teased, sitting up. She wrapped her arms around his naked torso and rested her chin on his shoulder from behind. "But I don't think you were just thinking; I think you were doing some worrying."

He shrugged nonchalantly, hoping not to make a big deal of it. "Maybe a little, but it wasn't anything significant. Are you really okay with the family session? I know it can't be easy to take everything on all at once like this."

"If you think it's for the best, then it is. I trust you, Dillon. I know that you wouldn't put me through it if it wasn't," she assured him. "You told me that last night, and out of everything that was said, that was the one that stuck. Even though I was angry, last night reminded me how lucky I am to have so many people to love me. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have to go through this alone."

"You'll never have to," he promised. He turned around in her loose embrace and tangled his fingers in her hair. "It's been too long since we were alone and didn't talk about this. I know that your family session is tomorrow and we can spend all day talking about it if you want, but I'd rather we didn't."

"I could go for a break," she agreed happily. "What do you have in mind instead? I'm kind of out of loop on fun. This whole thing has kind of inhabited my life lately."

He pointed to a few empty boxes resting against a wall in the corner. "I know that we weren't planning on doing this for a few days, but what do you say that we finish packing?"

"That's your idea of fun? Dillon, even I could come up with something better than that."

"That's not all of it, Quick Draw," he teased. "I was thinking that we could finish packing this morning, and then this afternoon, I could have the moving company move everything. Tonight, we could spend our first night alone in our home. What do you say to that?"

Jumping from the bed, she threw her arms around his neck and squealed. "Dillon, that's such a great idea! We could make dinner and take a long shower together. Carly left me a voicemail to say that Jason had the new shower put in for us. It will be perfect."

"As long as we're together, it's already perfect," he avowed before pulling his cell phone off the bureau. With Lulu still against him, he dialed the number and waited for the moving company to pick up. "I'd like to arrange for everything to be moved today." He waited a few moments while the secretary explained that it wasn't possible. "I'm Edward Quartermaine's grandson. I think it can be arranged."

"Please tell me you did not just say that," Lulu mumbled under her breath, earning a glare from Dillon. "Sorry."

He listened for a few more minutes before finally relenting. "Fine, fine, that will work," he said. "Yes, four will be fine. We're located on Harbor View Road. It's not difficult to find."

"So, the truck is coming at four?"

He shook his head. "A small moving van is coming at four to move a few things, but the majority of our things won't be able to be transported until Friday. I'm sorry you're going to have to wait. I know that you really wanted to move today."

"We can still move," she decided. "We don't need a whole bunch of stuff. We'll pack up an air mattress and a couple sleeping bags. I'll convince Alice to pack us a picnic basket with some candles. Even if we only stay there tonight, I'm determined to have a perfect first evening in our house."

Leaning to capture her mouth, he couldn't help but think how incredible she was. It didn't matter that the day was turning out to be a complete disaster, she only cared about spending time with Dillon. "I love you," he professed. "That right there personifies why I am so incredibly in love with you."

Most of the day was spent tucking the contents of their lives into boxes. Dillon's movies became mixed with Lulu's CDs, his scripts with her magazines. Clothes were discarded and organized, only a few were to remain behind. They worked together in unison, first tackling his room and then hers. She packed a small overnight bag for the house, throwing his clothes in with hers. Simple things like the fact that her red toothbrush would hang next to his blue one made her smile inside. It didn't take much to remind her of his place in her life.

As they headed back into Dillon's room to dead with the atrocity that was his closet, Lulu smiled at him genuinely. "This has been a nice day. I didn't think I'd have this much fun. I like just spending time with you. I think I take it for granted sometimes."

"Well, we're going to spend so much time together that you will definitely come to take me for granted," he replied as he started to shuffle through a box of old photographs. Most of them were of himself with Georgie. He wasn't really sure what to do with them. He hated to throw them away, but he didn't really need them anymore either.

Lulu looked over his shoulder as he scoured the stack. There was one of himself with Lucas during those first days at PCU last year. He barely recognized the kid he used to be. There were others of Georgie, Maxie and Brook Lynn. Finally, he found the one he'd been looking for. Taken at her parents' wedding, it was a snapshot of her in that amazing red dress. It was on that day, more than any before it, that he realized how incredibly beautiful she was. "I can't believe you have that," she commented.

"Are you kidding? That photograph changed my life. It captured the exact moment I knowingly fell in love with you. I'm lucky to have it. I'll be able to show it to our children someday and they'll understand exactly how it was that we fell in love."

"You want to have kids with me?"

"Even more than I want to marry you someday," he answered, kissing her on the tip of the nose. "There are a lot of pictures here. I didn't know I had kept this many."

"What are these?" she asked, flipping open a leather-bound album. The pages were filled of aged photographs of Dillon as a toddler, his sandy blonde hair even lighter than it was now. There pictures of him standing next to an European beach, posed next to the Quartermaine banister, sitting in the co-captain's chair on an airplane. Her favorite was taken at dusk. He was probably only two or three, completely unaware that he was being filmed. The photo showed him running around in a grassy field with this innocent smile on his face. She would have been in love with him even then. "Oh, Dillon."

"I know, lame right?"

"Not even a little bit," she retorted. "I love it. When we get our house all set up, we're going to have it framed."

"Whatever you want," he chuckled, tucking it into the box on top of the rest of the photographs. "We need to finish this up, the truck is going to be here any minute." Right on cue, Alice buzzed the intercom to tell them that the van was downstairs. He directed the moving me up and before they knew it, several boxes were gone from his room. Dillon didn't even take one sad look back at his bedroom. He had never been happier about anything in his entire life.

By the time the van was unloaded, they were both tired. Still, with the sleeping bag spread over the bare hardwood floor and flames in the fireplace, they weren't too tired to enjoy the blissful dinner Alice had sent with them. French cheese, grapes, baked chicken and asparagus was on the menu with expensive champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. Once they had finished, Dillon was happy to just lay there with her in his arms.

"I'm sorry that you're not going to get that shower you wanted," he apologized, kissing the hollow of her neck affectionately. "I can't believe we don't have water yet, either. This is turning out to be a semi-disaster."

"Really?" she asked innocently. "I hadn't even noticed. I was too busy being happy."

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?"

"Are you going to be there?" she asked. He nodded in response. "Then, I don't have anything to worry about." Yawning, he burrowed his face into her hair. "Are you tired?"

"A little, it's been a long day."

"Well, I'll have to do something about that," she replied, prying herself away from his unwilling embrace. Straddling his hips, she lifted her shirt effortlessly over her head and freed her golden mane from its braid. "Is it working yet?"

"I think I need a little more convincing," he mumbled as she met his lips with a kiss. Exploring her mouth with his tongue, he felt all exhaustion melt away, only to be replaced with desire and lust. Pulling her closer to him by her belt loops, she moaned against his teeth with anticipation. "Oh, yeah, it's working. It's definitely working."

Pulling away, she allowed her hair to cascade over his face. Looking down at him, she felt something shift inside her. She felt something she had never felt before, and that emotion was complete and total trust. "Dil, I want to marry you."

"We can be in Vegas tonight."

"We'd miss my family session…"

"I could have you back before the sun comes up."

Her first instinct was to make a sarcastic comment, but she didn't. Instead, she smiled at him genuinely and leapt head first into completely uncharted waters. "Let's do it."


	37. Chapter 37

Sitting back of the limousine on the way to the airport, Lulu felt more restless than she had anticipated. Her leg was quivering, foot tapping an erratic tempo as the vehicle made its way along the silvery Port Charles streets. Gripping her small silver phone in her hand, she turned it over and over in her closed palm. Beside her, Dillon was looking out the window, surprised that he didn't feel an ounce of doubt. "I have to call them," she said suddenly, breaking him out of his haze. "I know that they're not going to be able to come with us, but I have to tell at least one of them before I leave town. I wouldn't be able to forgive Lucky if he did it without telling me. I owe him the same thing."

He smiled at her slowly, somewhat jealous that he didn't have that sort of relationship with his own brother. At best, his family was tolerate of each other most of the time, though deep love had a way of rearing its head when necessary. "Call him," he ordered softly. "They're going to be my family now, too. I don't want to start this off on the wrong foot. Do you think we should call our parents?"

"My dad will be fine if he finds out later. Your mom, on the other hand, could be more of an issue. I think I'll leave that one up to you."

"Thanks," he retorted sarcastically. He contemplated reaching for his backpack on the floorboard but decided against it. She could find out with the rest of them. Leaning back into the plush leather seat, he was thankful once again that he had been born with the Quartermaine name. While most of the time he'd rather deny his namesake, it was nice to have luxuries like a limo at times like these. Their chauffer had been happy to pick them up once he'd explained the situation and sworn him to secrecy.

Lulu flipped open the phone and dialed Lucky's number from memory. She felt slightly guilty at the late hour but knew that he would be happy she'd called once he found out her news. A moment later, a sleepy woman answered his cell phone, slightly throwing her off for a minute. "Emily?" 

"Lulu? Why are you calling me in the middle of the night?" she asked worriedly, her voice thick with exhaustion. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not calling you," Lulu answered. "I dialed Lucky's number."

"I must have answered the wrong phone," she apologized. "Hold on a second, let me wake him up."

She could hear the muffled sound of Emily trying to wake up her brother, a man famous for his ability to sleep through anything. Miraculously, it didn't take long for the medical student to wake him as she heard his voice on the other end of the line a few seconds later. "Lu, what's wrong?" he asked immediately. She couldn't believe how awake he sounded.

"Nothing is wrong, Lucky," she promised. "I just wanted to call and let you know something before I did it."

"What have you got yourself into?"

"Something good," she bubbled. "Dillon and I are on our way to the airport. We're going to take the ELQ plane out tonight to Vegas. We're going to get married."

"You're going to what?!?" he nearly screamed into the phone, his tone more angry than she had expected. "You can't just run off to Las Vegas, Lu. You have a family session in the morning. Besides, you haven't thought this through. I don't know if now is the best time for you to get married."

"You don't have to know, Lucky, I already do," she shot back. "We'll be back by tomorrow afternoon, plenty of time for me to make my appointment. Marrying Dillon is all I have thought about for the past year, even when we weren't together. I'm ready."

"I can't believe he is taking advantage of you like this," he grumbled.

"Lucky, how could you say that? You know that Dillon loves me. He would never do anything like that. This was my idea. If you're looking to blame someone, blame me. Call me erratic, call me crazy, call me whatever you want. Just know that I am going to come back a married woman. I am going to be Dillon's wife."

"Let me talk to him."

"No."

"Lesley Lu Spencer, put him on the telephone now."

"You can't talk to him," she argued. "Don't tell me what to do."

"Give me the phone," Dillon whispered, reaching for the handset. Smiling at Lulu assuredly, he started to address his future brother-in-law. "Lucky, I know that you're thinking this is a spur of the moment thing, but it's really not. Lulu and I have been talking about this since we got together. Now is the right time."

"She's sick, Dillon. Do you really think that this is the best time for her to be making life altering decisions? She hadn't even talked to Dr. Winters about this. There is so much to consider. You two just can't run away like this."

"We're hardly running away. Look, I didn't even want to tell anyone, but Lulu insisted that she tell you before she left. She cared about you enough to want your blessing. Love her enough in return to give her that. Lucky, she doesn't need a lecture or your permission; she just wants you to be there for her."

"I am there for her," he countered. "I've been there for her every single day of her life. I just don't want to see her throw her life away because she gets caught up in something. And I don't want to see you walk away from her if something goes wrong and she ends up like my mother. It's not fair to anyone."

"I can't even think like that because it isn't going to happen. I am incredibly in love with your sister, and I am going to spend the rest of my life proving it to her," Dillon stated. "We're doing this."

"Then, I want to come with you. My sister shouldn't get married without her family there. She needs someone to walk her down the aisle, and you could use a best man. I'll even bring Em along to be maid of honor."

"Bring Emily where?" he heard his cousin ask tiredly.

"We're going to Vegas with you. Give us a half-hour, and we'll meet you at the airport," he ordered before the line went dead.

Closing the phone, he looked over at Lulu confusedly. "I think we're going to have a little company on our trip," he revealed. "Lucky just insisted that he and Emily join us in Vegas. He doesn't want you to do this alone, but I'm afraid he just wants to talk us out of it."

She shook her head. "Emily wouldn't let him," she proclaimed. "And even if she did, it wouldn't even be possible. There is no one that could talk me out of marrying you, Dil. I told you before, this is what I want. You are what I want. Hell, you're all that I have ever wanted."

Crawling across the seat toward her, he closed the space between him as he wrapped her in his arms. "You're all that I'm ever going to want," he promised. "I'm glad your brother is going to go. I want him to see how in love with each other we are. It's the only way he is ever going to accept us together."

Emily pulled a black turtleneck over her head, her chestnut hair cascading around her face. "Lucky, calm down, Lulu is not going to leave without you. She cared enough to call you, so you need to trust her." 

"You don't understand, you don't have any younger siblings. She is my responsibility. I promised my mom that I would take care of her."

"Is that what this is about?" she asked Lucky. He wasn't listening to her as he started to throw items into a leather bag. "Lucky, stop and listen to me."

"Huh?" he muttered distractedly. She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. "Emily, I don't have time for this. We have to go meet my sister. She needs me."

"Talk to me now or don't talk to me for the next week," she threatened. Her voice was hollow and deadly serious. Relenting, he stopped packing and fell back onto the bed. "Are you afraid you're going to lose your place in Lulu's life if she marries Dillon?" 

"That's crazy. I'm her brother, he's her boyfriend. They're hardly the same thing."

"I'm aware of that, Lucky, but you wouldn't be the most important man in her life anymore if they got married. I think that's a scary thing for you," she explained. "You're worried, and so you're reacting like this."

"I just want to take care of my sister. I don't want her to see a huge mistake, especially when she is so vulnerable of everything else. I'm not thinking of myself right now. My mind is completely focused on what's best for Lu. We've all put her through so much, including Dillon. I couldn't stand to see this backfire and push her over the edge."

"Why are you expecting the worst?"

"My mother," he stated simply. "If I've learned anything, it's that sometimes life happens whether you're ready for it or not. I watched the most beautiful, vibrant woman I've ever known completely fall apart in front of my eyes. The mother that loved and raised me became someone who can barely function. She has no idea what is going on; she's missed out on her life. I don't want to see my baby sister go through the same thing. She has the potential to do so much with her life, but if she loses it, that will all go away. She won't get to be a wife to Dillon, an aunt to Cam and Spencer or a mother to her own children someday. I – my entire family – we need for her to be okay. We've already lost too much."

"Lulu is going to be okay if you are there to love and support her, Lucky," she proclaimed. "She has so many people that love her, and Dillon happens to be one of those people. Even if this doesn't work and their marriage fails someday, I believe that Lulu can get through it. She will have you and Nikolas to help her. And she will have Elizabeth and me, even if everything isn't perfect between us all."

"I'm not going to try to stop her," he promised, "but I have to be there with her. It's important to me to be there for Lu. I want to walk her down the aisle, I want to see her say her vows. They need to have family there, and we both happen to fit that bill."

"I'll support you in whatever you want to do," she professed. "However, if you even try to talk her out of it, I will have you escorted out of there as quickly as possible. You are not going to ruin your sister's wedding day, no matter how you feel about it. I love you more than anything, so I hope you'll understand that this is for your own good."

Lucky grimaced, sure that her heart was in the right place but afraid that she was wrong about everything. It didn't matter how much he wanted to believe that everything would be okay, he would always worry that they could lose her. Even if her marriage to Dillon was successful, she could still be at risk. When it came down to it, he knew that it didn't matter what was going on around her. It was what was going on in her head that would draw her to the dark side.


	38. Chapter 38

Lulu sat in one of the few passenger seats on the private Quartermaine jet that would take them to Las Vegas, waiting for her brother to show up with Emily. Dillon was toward the captain's quarters, his head bent as he spoke on his cell phone. Curious about the conservation, she sauntered up behind him, wrapping her arms around his narrow waist.

"She looks beautiful, Laura, and I can't wait until we get back. We'll come see you tomorrow, I promise. You'll be the first person we tell other than Em and Lucky," he said. "I have to go now, but I'll see you soon."

Hanging up the phone, he turned around in her loose embrace and smiled at her sweetly. Her eyes were questioning, wondering how he could have been talking to her mother. Without her having to ask, he searched for the best way to explain it to her. "After your mom had the relapse last fall, I went to see the doctors. They told me that the more company she had, the better off she would be. I knew that I wouldn't be able to see her every day, so I convinced them to install an answering machine in her room. That way, I could call and she could hear my voice. It may seem silly; your mom didn't even really know me. But calling her somehow always made me feel connected to you, even when you couldn't stand to be in the same room as me."

A lone tear fell down her cheek, and she knew that if she hadn't already been committed to marrying him, this would have changed it for her. Smiling up at him, she cocked her face to the left slightly and shook her head. "Just when I think I know everything there is to know about you…Why didn't you ever tell me that?"

"It never seemed important," he shrugged dismissively. "It was something I did for your mother and for myself. It really wasn't about you directly. I just wanted a way to support her because I knew how important to you she was."

"Knew how important who was?" Emily bubbled excitedly as she led Lucky onto the plane. Handing her luggage to her boyfriend to be stowed in the overhead department, she fell into a heap on the seat across from her cousin.

"No one," he assured her before walking back toward his own seat, leaving Lulu alone and confused in the aisle. Lucky slipped by her, resting his hand on the small of her back. They both looked over at the blonde Quartermaine, the air pregnant with awkward anticipation. "You should both take your seats. We'll be lifting off soon."

Lulu took her seat as instructed, meticulously going through the ritual of securing her seatbelt. Emily and Dillon both looked at home, long accustomed to traveling by private jet to wherever they choose. For Lucky and Lulu, the idea of even traveling in first class was foreign. She watched as Emily happily accepted a glass of sparkling water from the lone flight attendant. Lucky reached over and covered her hand comfortably. She admired the ease that was between her brother and his girlfriend. She wondered if anyone looked at her and Dillon in the same glowing light.

Dillon glanced at her nervously and noticed her eyes on the other couple. Leaning forward, he felt that this was probably the best time to put his thoughts out there. Taking her hand gently in his, he vocally regarded his soon-to-be brother-in-law. "Lucky, I know that you far from approve of what Lulu and I are doing, but I want to thank you for being here," he said. "We're going to be family, and I hope that we can start on the right foot. And for Lu's sake, I hope that you can be happy for us."

Lucky wanted to argue with him, to point out that they were technically already family or to say that it would be in name only. However, as he noticed his sister's shining blue eyes, he knew that it no longer mattered if he objected. Lulu was going to do this, and it was up to him to support his sister in one of the most important decisions she had ever made. He had failed her greatly during the abortion, too wrapped up in his own feelings to be able to be there for her. He owed her this one, to simply love her no matter what her choice was. "I will do whatever my sister needs me to do. Her happiness is all that matters here to me."

"Do you really mean that?" she asked quietly, slowly lifting her gaze from the tacky carpet to meet his. He nodded confidently. Automatically, unbuckling her belt, she flew the short distance across the plane to embrace her brother. He laughed as she squeezed him tightly, reminiscent of her teasing hugs when they were much younger. "You are the best big brother I could ever ask for. Just don't tell Nikolas I said that."

"The fact that I'm your favorite will be our little secret," he assured her teasingly. "Now, sit back down next to Dillon and explain to me what you want at your wedding. We might be doing this in Vegas, but it doesn't mean that we can't bring a little class to the affair."

"The only thing I really care about is the fact that you three are going to be there," she proclaimed, looking from Lucky to Emily to Dillon. "I want you to walk me down the aisle, and Em, I'd be honored if you would stand as my witness."

She grinned happily, looping her arm through Lucky's. "Of course, I would be honored," she agreed. "I took the liberty of calling ahead to a hotel that owes the family a few favors. The entire ceremony should be taken care of by the time we get there. I've even managed to get my hands on two dresses and two tuxedos."

"You thought of everything," Lucky said proudly, pressing a kiss to her temple. "I know that this isn't exactly what you had in mind, but I'm glad that I'm going to be there. I just wish that Mom could be there with us."

Dillon looked into Lulu's eyes and saw a glimmer of Laura in there. "Something tells me she will be," he professed, squeezing his bride's hand affectionately. "We called over to the hospital to her room and left her a message. Hopefully, somewhere in everything that is going on in there, she managed to hear it. We're going to go by there as soon as we return to Port Charles, just before her family session."

"Speaking of which, you know that Nikolas is going to be hurt when he finds out that I didn't tell him," Lulu muttered to Lucky. "He won't understand why I had to tell one and not the other. I'm not even sure I understand."

Lucky looked at his sister and saw a feeling that only the two of them could understand. "You know why, and I know why, Lu. You don't have to feel guilty about anything. You didn't do anything wrong. I promise I won't let the family give you a hard time about this. We will celebrate it for the joyful occasion that it is."

"And I will handle the Quartermaine clan," Emily promised. "Most of them listen to me, though I'm not sure why. Grandfather's tirade won't last too long once he sees me in the room. He sees too much of Grandmother in me to stay angry."

"Except Tracey," Lulu pointed out. "That one is going to be Dillon's responsibility because he is the only one who has even a chance of getting through to her."

"I don't know, Lu, my mother has seemed to form some kind of affection for you," he reminded her. "I mean, your sparring with her has been severely limited lately, other than the little spat about us moving in together. And even that she seems to have accepted. Besides, I'll take my mom any day so as long as I don't have to deal with Luke."

"Oh, Luke," Emily giggled. "He's certainly not going to enjoy the fact that Gumdrop married the Young Spielberg without his knowledge."

"While we're there, why don't Cowboy and Princess just get married, and we could really do him in?" Lulu teased.

Lucky put his hands up in front of his chest. "You two might be ready, but we're not there yet. Besides, I think we have a divorce that needs to become final, and I have certain obligations that include my son."

"She was just teasing, Lucky," Emily assured him. "Besides, I don't want to marry you."

"You don't want to marry me?" he asked, visibly hurt.

"Not on the fly," she soothed. "I want to have Grandfather there so that he can see just how entwined this family has become with the Spencers. His reaction would be too priceless to miss."

"We are kind of all mixed up together," Dillon acknowledged. "First, my mom married Luke, which is still just really weird. Then, I got lucky and fell in love with a certain Miss Lesley Lu Spencer. And now, Emily is with Lucky."

"Two Port Charles dynasties united together. We could rule the city," Lucky laughed.

"Dad was mayor at one point," Lulu reminded him. "I bet with Tracey's money, we could buy enough votes to get him in power again. They'd make an incredible First Couple."

"Could you even imagine?" Emily giggled. "He could get an honorary spot on the hospital board. It'd be this whole thing."

"Speaking of the hospital," Lucky said, changing the subject. "How are you feeling about tomorrow? Do you think you are going to be able to do it?"

"Dillon is going to be there, and you're going to be there. It'll be just like having dinner at Aunt Bobbie's. I'm going to pretend that it's Thanksgiving, and we're all fighting for control of the conversation. Besides, if I can make it through dinner at the Q's, I'm pretty sure I can stand anything. I've made it through a lot worse, after all."

"That's my girl," Dillon smiled.

"Dillon, I should be telling you thank you for what you have done for my sister. She has told me more than once that she wouldn't have been able to get through this without you. My family owes you a lot for your love and support of Lulu."

"Lulu is everything, and I am nothing. She has gotten through this on her own. I've been lucky enough to be able to remind her of her own ever-present strength. Every time she feels defeated, I remind her that she is a Spencer…"

"And the Spencers can survive anything!" Lucky and Lulu bellowed in unison.

"Please don't go through the rules," Emily pleaded.

"Ah, the infamous rules," Dillon chuckled.

"You two are lucky to be privy to our rules. They have gotten our family through situations that the Quartermaines can't even begin to imagine," Lulu defended. "There is nothing in the world that we can't survive."

"We're not going to have this argument again," Dillon rolled his eyes with a spark of humor and good nature. Raking his fingers through his hair, Lulu smiled as the spikes sprung back to life.

She reached up and brushed her fingertips over the ends lightly, happy that he had found himself again. While she could have still loved the slick businessman he became after the abortion, it was this version of him that she most loved. With his faded jeans and distressed tees, he was the dreamy director she had been genuinely crazy about since last summer. Kissing him softly, she lowered her voice so that only he could hear. "I love you."

"Love you," he avowed, kissing her again. Exchanging a few short kisses, they soon heard Lucky clear his throat. Looking up, he wiped his mouth embarrassed. "Sorry."

Emily pressed the side of her head against Lucky's. "No, we understand. Even if Lucky is acting like this, he can't keep his hands off of me."

"That is not true. It's actually the other way around."

"Uh huh, sure, we believe you," Lulu drawled sarcastically. Lucky looked up at her incredulously before the four of them erupted into peals of laughter. It was shaping up to be the perfect wedding, the perfect night, the perfect life…


	39. Chapter 39

Elizabeth filed out of her seat and followed Nikolas down the aisle, affectionately admiring his muscular back and shiny coal hair from behind. In such a short time, her view on the Cassadine prince had changed drastically, from her best friend's ex-husband and her brother-in-law to someone she counted on the most and perhaps even the love of her life. Without looking at her, he reached his hand back and captured hers in a strong grip. As they stepped from the private jet and onto the Tarmac, the immense beauty of the bright lights swept over her. "I can't believe that there is actually a place you've never been," she mused, gazing across the bright neon skyline. "We're actually experiencing something together for the first time. I wasn't sure that there would be too many of those left for either of us at this point."

"Las Vegas is one destination that has always eluded me," he acknowledged. "My uncle saw it as incredibly tacky and classless, far below our social standing in life. By the time I was on my own, I had fallen in love with Emily. She never had a hankering to visit Sin City, preferring European and tropical locations to something domestic. And Courtney grew up in Atlantic City, so she preferred to stay away gambling towns."

"Well, I don't care what anyone else has to say about it. I think Vegas is beautiful in its own way," she declared. "Besides, it's a place so full of opportunity. I mean, it's the beginning of marriages. A person's luck can change in a second just by pulling a lever on a slot machine. Where else can life change like that?"

"I love this city through your eyes," he told her, kissing the crown of her head absently while leaning against her from behind. They waited in silence for the limousine to pull around them to retrieve them. His hands slid down to her rounded stomach, the baby kicking happily in response. "I love everything through your eyes, actually. You have this unique ability to see the best in everything and everyone. I wish I still had an ounce of that innocence."

She smiled up into his eyes genuinely, love illuminating from her gentle gaze. "You make me so happy," she murmured, reaching up to kiss him. His tongue slipped easily passed her barely parted lips, running gracefully across her pearly white teeth. "I can't believe we're here to see Lulu get married. I remember the first time I met her. She was just this little girl, completely rambunctious and but so sweet at the same time. I think I might have fallen in love with her even before I fell in love with Lucky."

"When I look at Lulu, I always think that she is the one thing we've all gotten right," he revealed. "Luke, Laura, Lucky and me…we always had that one thing in common. We loved her. If she had never gotten sick, I may have never gotten to know my little sister. But she did, and I got an entire family out of it. I got to have a brother and a sister, and I got to know my mom. I owe a lot to Lu. She, more than any of us, deserves this happiness."

"Speaking of Lucky, I'm glad he called us. I'm taking it as a good sign that he wanted to include you in tonight," she smiled as he opened the car door for her. She slid across the cool leather seat to make way for him. "Lulu wanted this to be a private ceremony, but now, it's turning into a family affair."

"She'll be happy to have us both there," he promised. "I can pretty much guarantee that she wanted me there, but she just wanted to avoid having the rest of the Quartermaine clan nipping at her heels. No one is going to be pleased about their marriage, least of all Tracey and Edward. Doing this without them is her way of showing them that her marriage isn't going to be in the hands of the Quartermaine family but those of Dillon and Lulu."

Yawning deeply, she reached for Nikolas' wrist to check the time. It was past midnight in Port Charles. It was the first night since the explosion that she had spent away from Cameron. "Can we call the mansion to check on the boys? I know that my grandmother is there along with the staff, but I just need to know that they're okay. I'll be able to enjoy the rest of the night much more if I know that they're safe and asleep."

Pulling his cell phone from his blazer pocket, he quickly dialed the familiar number and waited for his faithful butler to answer. Once he had assured them that both boys and Audrey were asleep and well, he tucked it back from where it had come. "Everything is fine," he promised as the car pulled toward the front door of the plush hotel. "So, we can enjoy tonight without any problem. In fact, there are our counterparts now."

Leaping from the limo, he left Elizabeth behind for a moment as he sprinted across the circular driveway to sweep his unexpecting sister into a tight hug. Giggles escaped from her as she buried her face in his shoulder, squeezing him tightly. "You're here!" she exclaimed happily. "How did you know?"

"I had a little help from our brother over there," he answered, nodding his head toward the blue-eyed policeman behind them. "When he called to tell me that our baby sister was about to get married, we hopped the first plane to Vegas. Liz and I couldn't miss this for the world."

Stepping up beside Nikolas, Elizabeth smiled widely. "Congratulations, Lulu," she said warmly. "I couldn't imagine this happening to two better people. I'm truly honored that we are going to be able to share in this day with you."

"Thank you," Dillon said for her, slipping his arm around his fiancée's slim waist supportively. "Lu is lucky to have both of her brothers and her sisters here."

"We're both lucky," she agreed. Reaching over, she brushed a kiss over Dillon's lips. "I'm going to go upstairs to get ready with the girls. The next time you'll see me will be at the chapel."

"I can't wait," he whispered, reluctantly letting go of her hand. Turning to his cousin, he arched his eyebrow at her. "You take care of her. I expect to see her waiting for me at the end of the aisle in two hours."

"We'll be there," Emily promised before leading Lulu away by the elbow toward the limousine Nikolas had abandoned minutes before. Lucky had worked out all the details with his brother prior to their departure. As Elizabeth and Lulu tumbled into the sleek black car, Lucky came jogging up to the lone Quartermaine allowed to attend the festivities. "What's wrong?"

"I just wanted to tell you goodbye," he smiled. "This whole night has me kind of swept up in the romance of the whole thing, and I'm really glad that you're here to share this with me. I can't think of anyone else in the entire world I'd rather have by my side right now."

Exchanging a quick kiss with her boyfriend, Emily smiled against his lips. "I'll see you at the chapel, too," she avowed. With a small wave, he headed back to accompany Dillon and Nikolas to get dressed for the ceremony. As she climbed into the backseat with the other women, she couldn't hide the dreamy look in her eyes. Sighing contently, she gave the driver directions and allowed herself the chance to relax.

"I know that look," Lulu grinned. "I am that look."

She wanted to talk to Lulu about Lucky but wasn't comfortable doing it in front of Elizabeth yet. They were a long way from the best friends they had once been. She still was getting over the mess that had become the Four Musketeers. While she wished well for both of them, she needed time to find her new footing in life. "I'll just say that we are very happy together and leave it at that," she proclaimed. "Besides, tonight isn't about me. Now, we have a dress on the way to your suite along with something for both Elizabeth and me."

"Thank you so much for all that you've done, Em," Lulu retorted gratefully. "I can't imagine having this without either of you. I know that this isn't the most comfortable situation for either of you, but you've managed to put that aside to make tonight memorable for Dillon and me. From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate it more than words could ever express."

Elizabeth regarded her endearingly. "You look so much like your mother," she murmured, caressing her cheek maternally. "I am sure wherever she is, she is smiling down at you with the utmost pride shining in her eyes."

Lulu smiled at her from behind her wet eyes, grateful to have two women who understood exactly what was missing from the day. "I can't believe I'm getting married," she mused excitedly, covering her face with her hands. She was the first to leap from the limo outside the hotel, running as quickly as she could. A giggling Emily walked and a very pregnant Elizabeth hobbled after her. By the time they reached the suite, she was standing in the middle of the room with a puddle of silk heaped at her feet. Hair sticking up every which way, she didn't seem to notice either of them staring at her as she jammed her sandaled foot through the hem of the dress.

"Slow down, Lu," Emily ordered her calmly. "We have all the time in the world."

"I've waited my entire life for this, and I don't want to wait anymore," she declared. "I've loved and lost Dillon too many times to waste anymore time. I am so lucky. I found the love of my life and my best friend all wrapped up in one person. How many people find that?"

"Not enough," Emily agreed, an image of Lucky sleeping next to her flashing in her mind. She understood the young blonde's excitement, shared in their mutual understanding of the situation. "I'll call the boys. We'll meet them in a half-hour."

"Thanks," she called over her shoulder as she padded toward the bathroom.

Emily smiled kindly over at Elizabeth. "She's right, you know? It's rare to be able to fall in love with your best friend. We got to do it twice."

"Okay, okay, we'll be there," Lucky mumbled before flipping his phone shut. "Change in plans. Lulu moved up the wedding. We have 15 minutes to be at the chapel. I know the timing will be a little tight, but we can make it."

"That's about 14 minutes more than I need," Dillon retorted as he pulled the bottom button through the loop. Glancing at his reflection in the mirror, even he had to admit how excited he looked. Grabbing a sage green handkerchief, he folded it into his pocket and headed toward the door. "I'm ready."

"Great," Nikolas called as he followed the Quartermaine. Lucky was the last, pulling a velvet box from his lone piece of luggage. He still had one more trick up his sleeve.

Fifteen minutes later, the six of them reunited at the simple white chapel Emily had booked for them. Elizabeth was seated next to Nikolas in the front row, one hand resting entwined with his on her stomach. Emily stood at the altar, talking quietly to Dillon as they waited for their counterparts to make their way down the aisle. "Nikolas, can you come back here with me?" Lucky requested politely. Excusing himself to Elizabeth, the dark prince followed his brother to the back where Lulu was waiting nervously. "It's almost time, Lu."

"I know, I know," she muttered, pacing the length of the back pew, just out of sight from the few guests sprinkled inside the chapel. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, pulsing through the tips of her toes. Nikolas laid his hand softly on her shoulder. She turned and smiled at him, taking a deep breath and mustering all the Spencer courage she could. "Thanks."

"You look gorgeous," Lucky complimented her. "We have something for you."

Taking the box from her brother shakily, she looked between them with a skeptical smile. "What is this? You've both already done so much," she thanked them. Then, at her brothers' insistence, she slipped open the oblong case. A sparkling sapphire bracelet rested on a bed of velvet. "I recognize this."

"This bracelet was Mom's. Grandma Lesley gave it to her when she was just about your age," Lucky told her. "She gave it to me last fall and asked me to give it to you when you had your first child, so you can't have it for keeps yet."

"So, this bracelet represents something old, something borrowed and something blue?" Lulu asked, tears forming in the corner of her oceanic eyes.

"Actually, it also represents something new," Nikolas explained. "Lucky and I had it restrung to include the three hearts in the middle."

"The two diamonds represent you and Dillon," Lucky continued, "and the small sapphire heart represents the thing that brought you together in the first place. It represents your love."

"That small heart represents so much more," she whispered knowingly. "It represents the baby that we had to give up to truly find each other. And I hope it symbolizes the many children to come."

"It represents everything you have, everything you are and everything you want," Nikolas announced. "I wish you nothing but the best on this day and all the many days of your life." Hugging her tightly, he kissed her forehead and stepped back.

"I was there in the beginning, and I will be there in the end," Lucky promised, embracing her. "You are more than my little sister, you also happen to be one of my best friends and someone I can look up to. I love you, Lu."

She wrapped one arm around Lucky and one around Nikolas, pulling them into a sibling three-way hug. The monumental importance of the moment wasn't lost on any of them. As Nikolas headed back into the chapel and Lulu looped her arm through Lucky's one thought resided in three minds. Somehow, somewhere, Laura Spencer was smiling down at her children and silently pushing them toward the numerous blessings to come.


	40. Chapter 40

"Are you ready, Lu?" Lucky asked quietly, not bothering to glance over at his little sister. He could feel her tense body next to his, constantly smoothing the invisible wrinkles from her pristine white gown.

She nodded timidly at first before forcing her movements to be more confident. Glancing just past the edge of the heavy wooden door, she spotted her groom waiting nervously at the front of the chapel. "I've never been more ready," she whispered, smiling genuinely as the melodic organ music filled the intimate space. Step after step, she made her way down the plush carpet toward Dillon, never breaking his intense gaze. By the time they reached the altar, her entire body was giddy with anticipation. As she slipped her arm from Lucky's and placed her hand in Dillon's, she couldn't imagine why she had ever waited so long.

"Beloved friends and family, we are gathered here today to unite Dillon and Lesley Lu in eternal love in the eyes of God," the priest greeted them. "Never the traditionalists, they have asked me to share a few words from _The Irrational Season_, a novel by Madeline L'Engle."

"But ultimately there comes a moment when a decision must be made," he continued. "Ultimately two people who love each other must ask themselves how much they hope for as their love grows and deepens, and how much risk they are willing to take…It is indeed a fearful gamble…Because it is the nature of love to create, a marriage itself is something which has to be created, so that, together we become a new creature."

"On this day," he announced, "Dillon and Lulu have chosen to do just that. With vows of unending love and devotion, two individuals will become one. To illustrate this love, Dillon and Lulu have searched their hearts for truly original words to express just how they feel."

"Thinking back, there are probably a million little moments that explain why I fell in love with Dillon in the first place," Lulu began. "From the compassionate boy who let me followed me across the world to help my father to the kindred man who held my hand through the single hardest moment of my life, he has meant everything to me."

"When I sat down to think about my vows, to isolate the single moment when we fell in love, I was at a loss for words," she went on. "How do you summarize the love of a life time? In short, you can't. However, what I could come up with was one of the many times when I knew for certain that he was it for me. It's a fleeting moment, insignificant to most really. When I asked him about it a few days ago, he didn't even remember that day. But those kinds of moments aren't about anyone else, they're about you."

"It was a frigidly cold day in late February, one of those late winter afternoons where the icy wind chills straight to the bone," she described. "Having already had quite a rough day, I had contemplated blowing off my afternoon music theory seminar, a class that sent me walking across a breezy bridge over the ever-busy highway. Between the weather and the drama that is life, it would have been so easy to just skip the class, but a friend convinced me that we should go. At the last minute, I relented and found myself making the trek across the bridge to PCU's music building."

"As we headed past the tennis courts, kids swirled around me, on their way to wherever life took them – work study in the administration building, lunch in the dining hall or class in the science lab. Amongst that mass of people, I could hear a single voice above all others calling out my name. Turning around, I saw a vision that will forever remain cemented into my mind. Standing out in a way completely unique to Dillon, he was jogging against the natural flow of traffic with his signature distressed tees and messy blonde locks tucked sloppily beneath a black stocking cap."

"By the time he reached me," Lulu said, staring into his eyes, "I was giddy with anticipation to just be near him. I met him halfway, literally running into his arms like a clichéd romantic comedy. With a quick spin around, he set me firmly on the ground and smiled a crooked smile that only I could ever understand. Still silent, neither of us speaking a word, he slipped his hand into mine and walked me to class. It was such a small gesture, a very quiet moment, but it spoke volumes."

"When we arrived at the music building, I finally found the words I had been so desperately searching for. I asked what made him come that day, something he had never done before. He simply shrugged and replied that he knew. That unspoken bond has always transcended everything I had ever known, and in that moment, I understood that there really was something to this connection we had always clung to."

Tears welled in Dillon's eyes as he gazed down at her. Holding her hand tightly, he brushed his thumb over her palm, hoping against hope that his words would hold an ounce of the devotion hers had. "There were times when I never thought that we would make it here," he admitted slowly. "I was actually in love with someone else when you came into my life. I thought I was happy until you came crashing in, and then, you turned my world upside down in the best possible way. You were this force to be reckoned with, and you proved you would stop at nothing to get what you wanted."

"You have known my darkest days, and still, you are in love with me," he continued. "Every single day, I am amazed by you – your ability to love me limitlessly, your strength and your grace. I love that in you, I have found it all: a beginning and an end; a best friend and a soulmate; my biggest fan and my best teammate; a teacher and a student."

"On this, our wedding day, I want to share a few lines from a poem that epitomizes everything I want to say to you, Lu," he recited. "I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times…in life after life, in age after age, forever. My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs that you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms, in life after life, in age after age, forever."

"This poem is entitled Unending Love," he concluded. "There are no two words in the English language that could better express just how I felt for you then…feel for you now…will feel for you always."

"And now, Lulu and Dillon will exchange traditional vows as they exchange rings," the priest said. "These rings symbolize their love and faithfulness for each other. As each places it on the other's finger, Dillon and Lulu will commit their heart and soul to one another. These rings will forever serve as a reminder of the vows they have spoken today."

"I, Lesley Lu, take you Dillon to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."

"I, Dillon, take you, Lesley Lu, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children and my wife. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for all eternity."

"And now, to wish them well in their future," the priest announced, "your four witnesses have chosen a Carl Sandburg poem to share with you."

"I love you for what you are, but I love you yet more for what you are going to be," Nikolas stated first. "I love you not so much for your realities as for your ideals."

"I pray for your desires that they may be great, rather than for your satisfactions, which may be so hazardously little," Elizabeth continued. "A satisfied flower is one whose petals are about to fall."

"The most beautiful rose is one hardly more than a bud where in the pangs and ecstasies of desire are working for a larger and finer growth," Emily recited. "Not always shall you be what you are now."

"You are going forward toward something great," Lucky finished. "I am on the way with you and therefore I love you."

"May your days and years to come be filled with the kind of integrity and joy that will enable you to live through those times ahead which may be tough," the priest told them kindly, "and may your affection for each other grow, thus enriching and strengthening all of us."

"May the love of Dillon and Lesley Lu be strong," he closed, "that no misunderstanding loosen the bond and no passing of the years have the power to dim the light that now glows in them. May they early gain wisdom to discern the true values of life, and may no circumstances take from them the wholesome peace and inward satisfaction which only love can give."

"For as much as you have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and these friends, and have pledged your faith to each other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by giving and receiving rings," he ended. "By the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Lulu pulled Dillon down to her so that their lips came crashing together. Dipping her back slightly, he could feel her body melt into his as she gave up all inhibition. As they came back up, a silly grin was plastered across both of their faces. Turning to face their witnesses, Lulu waited anxiously as the priest introduced them. "Lucky and Emily, Nikolas and Elizabeth, please help me in welcoming Mr. Dillon Quartermaine and Ms. Lesley Lu Spencer-Quartermaine."

Jumping up and down giddily, she looked at Lucky. "I'm married!" she nearly screamed, dropping her husband's hand to hug her brother. Then, rushing out of his arms, she headed for her other brother.

"What about me?" Dillon asked in mock agony.

"You have me for the rest of my life," she brushed him off jokingly. "I'm celebrating over here. Quit ruining my moment!" 

Reaching for her hand, he spun her toward him. "Our moment."


	41. Chapter 41

The plane ride back to Port Charles was a quiet one, six individuals tucked into their seats. They were all exhausted from their jaunt across the country but united by the love that had been so evident in the chapel that night. Dillon sat next to Lulu, her head resting in his lap. She had been asleep since takeoff, intermittently waking up to ask how much longer they had until their arrival back to Port Charles. She was nervous about her family session in the morning, dreading having to deal with the repercussions of not telling her father and Tracey about the wedding.

Dillon stroked her hair rhythmically, staring blankly at the velvet black sky outside. He watched the constant flashing of the red light on the end of the wing, wondering what the next few hours would bring. Looking down at her delicate hand in his, he couldn't help but smile at how good even their hands looked together. Their simple bands pressed against each other, it was an image that would forever be in his mind. Thinking about the vows Lulu had said earlier, he knew that this was a moment that would be just his. Closing his eyes, he finally allowed himself to succumb to the exhaustion wracking his body.

"Look at them," Emily whispered to Lucky as she cuddled closer to him, nodding toward Lu and Dillon. His arm was slung across the back of her leather seat absently, her legs thrown across his lazily. They were the only ones not sleeping, whispering back and forth about nothing in particular. The romance of the night wasn't lost on either of them, a familiar pang stirring in Emily's stomach. "Do you think we look that happy?"

"Happier," he assured her. "We could have gotten married you know?" She smiled at him, knowing that he was right but glad that they hadn't. A Vegas marriage on the fly wasn't her style. She was too much of a traditionalist, preferring the long white dress and decked out cathedral to an Elvis impersonator and neon lights. Still, it had been the right thing for Dillon and Lulu, and because of that, it was beautiful in its own way.

"We'll be landing in twenty minutes. Please return your seats to the upright position as we prepare for dissent," the pilot announced over the speaker, stirring Elizabeth and Nikolas from their peaceful slumber.

Elizabeth had been the first to fall asleep, her hands resting on her very rounded stomach. Nikolas was next to her, his hand lying on top of hers. He had watched her fall asleep, a favorite hobby of his these days. Before taking a nap of his own, he had called to check on the boys. Gone less than 12 hours, he couldn't believe how much he missed Cam and Spencer. Now, as his gaze fell asleep on a sleepy Liz, he was suddenly so anxious to see them. It would be a few more hours, at least until the session was over.

"Cameron and Spencer are doing fine," he whispered to Elizabeth as she stretched, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "I asked Alfred to send them in a car with Audrey to the hospital to meet us. I figured you'd want to see them as soon as possible, and we can take your grandmother out for lunch to tell her thank you for all that she has done for us over the past month."

"You're right, I can't wait to see our boys," she smiled. "Ouch."

"What's wrong?"

"The baby is kicking," she smiled, rubbing her fingers over her skin. His hand flew to meet hers, enjoying the gentle pushing against her womb. The kicks became more frequent, more insistent at their touch. "I think he knows we're here."

Lucky reached over and grabbed Lulu's foot, yanking it gently to wake her up. "We're about to land," he told her. "You need to buckle up."

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she couldn't help but smile to herself as she reached for her brother's hand and squeezed it. "I'm married, and you're still telling me what to do," she giggled. "And I love you for it."

He looked at her knowingly. "I know you're scared, but you can do this, Lu. Nothing can hurt you in there. It's just us, just like it's always been. If you feel yourself slipping away, you just look at Dillon or me; I promise we will bring you back."

"We'll always bring you back," Dillon promised beside her. "We're going to get you through this. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

"Well, if you're offering, then you can be the one to tell our parents," she grinned, satisfied to have pushed that off on him. "I have enough to deal with. I don't know that I can put myself through this."

"Don't use this as a crutch," Dillon teased. "Are there going to be cars waiting to take us to the hospital?"

Nikolas nodded. "I called my driver and sent a limo."

"I called the mansion to make sure that Tracey and Luke know the appointment time," Emily added. "Alice is in charge of making sure that they get there on time. Jason said that he and Carly would meet us at GH."

"Jason's coming too?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly.

"Carly means a lot to Lulu," Lucky replied. "Lulu asked that they both be there. Aunt Bobbie is going to bring Lucas. The entire Spencer clan is going to be in attendance."

"Not everyone," Lulu mumbled, earning a sad look from both her brothers. The entire plane knew who was missing, something that would forever be obvious in their lives. "But that's neither here nor there. I need to focus on what is here, what I do have to live for. I have a husband now, and I have an amazing family. I'm in a good place now."

A half-hour later, the five of them sat in a row facing an empty chair, all waiting anxiously for the rest of their counterparts. Lulu had been whisked away to a private room by Lainey. She would come in to talk to the family before bringing her in to join them. Dillon had been against it at first, worried that she would scare herself the longer that she was alone. Promising that she would be fine, Lulu couldn't admit that he was probably more right than he would ever know.

Finally, a few minutes late, Luke came ambling in, a quiet Tracey a few steps behind. Neither of them said a word as they slipped in next to Lucky, nervous smiles shared between father and son. Dillon moved from his chair next to Liz to the seat next to his mother. Uncharacteristically, she reached for her son's hand. She wanted him to know that she was there for him, even if his words couldn't tell him as such. As he clung to his mother like a young boy, he was glad that he had slipped his ring off his hand and into his pocket.

"Sorry we're late," Carly apologized as she led Jason into the room. Bobbie and Lucas were behind them. Taking charge of the room with a power that only the blonde could possess, she fell into an empty seat, pulling Jason down after her.

"Thanks for coming," Lucky said, leaning across Emily to thank his cousins and aunt. "It means a lot to me, and I know that it certainly means a lot to my sister."

Looking at his sister affectionately, Luke smiled wryly. "Thanks, Barbara Jean," were the only words he could manage, enough to express the sentiment consuming his exuberant heart. Without his sister there, there was no telling what he would do. His gut reaction was always to run, but the vivacious redhead had always been able to get to him when no one else could.

Lainey pushed the door open with her hip, balancing a cup of coffee and a clipboard in her hands. "I'll make this short. I don't want to keep Lulu waiting for too long," she announced. "The more she waits, the more nervous she will become. Stress isn't good for her right now."

"I have a series of five questions that I would like the family to ask her. These questions were carefully selected after weeks of talking with Lulu and then Dillon," she explained, handing out the leaflets. "I have assigned five of you with questions. Lucky, Nikolas, Luke, Dillon and Carly – you are the people Lulu identified herself as feeling closest too. It is for that reason that I think she will be able to communicate with you the best. If, at any point, I feel like she is in danger, I will remove her from the room immediately. Dillon, I will then need you to follow me back to my office. I may not be able to get her back as easily as you seem to be able to reach her."

He nodded with understanding. "Whatever Lulu needs, I can do."

"Great," she smiled, "I'm going to get her now. I want this to be as casual as any normal conversation you would have with her. She's probably going to have trouble answering these questions. They're not easy by any means. In fact, you may have a hard time even asking them. However, trust me when I say, I truly believe that Lulu can handle them.

"Oh, wow," Lulu mumbled as she was led into the room. Perching on the end of her chair, she looked at her family nervously. "I wasn't prepared to see you all together like this. I guess I didn't really think about it."

"We're all here because we love you," Lucky reminded her. "We can stop this at any time, but you need to try to do this."

"I know," she relented. "I'll be better once we start this."

"That's a good idea, Gumdrop," Luke told her. "Why don't you start, Nikolas?"

Moving his chair closer to his little sister, Nikolas glanced at the paper before shoving it in his pocket. Reaching for his hand, he smiled up at her reassuringly, giving her all the emotional support he had in that moment. "What happens when you go inside your head? What do you see? Are you alone?"

She shook her head faintly. "I'm never alone. Each time is different, though there are some constants. I always know someone that is there, usually one of you guys. I don't know what brings it on," she confessed, staring into his eyes. "I'm not scared inside my mind. I feel safe. I see all these things that I like, hear the songs that I love. It's like nothing bad could ever happen there. It's almost like a dream, actually. I don't know any other way to describe it."

"Is Mom there?"

"Sometimes," she answered. "She was there a lot more right after the hostage situation. I think that was the time that I wanted to see her most, maybe even needed her the most…" Her voice trailed off as she felt her mind go slightly fuzzy. A heaviness pressed against her chest as everything around her became darker. She could hear Nikolas calling out to her distantly, and she tried to say something back. It wasn't until Dillon cupped her cheek that she could react. "She was just there."

"You did a good job, Lu," Dillon declared, allowing her to press her face into his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his torso to pull herself as close as possible. "Are you ready to go again?"

"Okay," she drawled. "Who's up next?"

Carly held up her hand as she made her way toward the chair vacated by Nikolas. Her brow furrowed as she glanced at the question assigned to her. "I know the emptiness that you've described time and time again, Lulu. What do you think it's going to take to fill that void in your heart?"

The answer was simple, undoubtedly her biggest regret in life. Her eyes darted around the room, falling upon Lucky and then Dillon. Shifting her gaze back to Carly, she bit her lip as she made her hardest confession to date. Wrapping her arms around her stomach protectively, she missed what was no longer there. Her cousin simply nodded at her, not needing any other explanation. Still, she needed to say it out loud. She needed to admit that there was an empty place that would never be filled by anyone else. "My baby."


	42. Chapter 42

"I can't do this," Lulu declared loudly, her entire body twitching nervously. Looking at the people sitting before her, she hated how she felt. Her left leg bounced anxiously as she tried to figure out a way to make herself stay. On a whim, she leapt for her seat and started toward the door. However, Dillon stepped in her way, catching her in his tight embrace.

"You can do this," he assured her soothingly, firmly. "You need to talk about this. You need to let everyone in this room see this part of you. You can't just keep hiding this pain anymore; you need to deal with everything or you're going to lose it."

"Just let me be crazy," she whimpered pathetically. "I am just like her. Why are you fighting the inevitable? If you get out of this now, you won't be tied to me forever. It's okay, Dillon, I'll understand. You need to accept what I am going to become."

He shook his head vehemently, gripping his fingers around her wrist. "You're not going to push me away, Lu. You don't get to do this to me now. I have stood by your side through everything, the good and the bad. There is no way I am going to walk away now. I know that there is something missing in your life, in the same way that there is something missing in me. Nothing is ever going to fill that void – we both know that. But we can't dwell on this child forever. We're going to miss out on our life if we continue to live in the past."

"If you can't leave me, then I will leave you," she threatened emptily. "You can't force me to stay anymore than I can force you to leave. I don't want you to have to watch me fall apart, Dillon. I'm not sure I could do it if the situation were reversed."

"You could," he promised her, "you would. There is no way in the world that you would ever let me be alone. You are my wife, and I have vowed to love you for the rest of our lives. I intend for that to last a very long time."

"Your wife?!?" Tracey exclaimed.

Luke sat stoically beside her. Resting his hand on his wife's wrist, he simply patted her hand. "Not right now. We'll get to that soon enough, but not right now. It's not the time."

Lucky couldn't believe how calm his father was being. He flashed a thankful smile to Luke, glad that he was putting his daughter for once. Reaching for Emily's hand, he braced himself while his sister scrambled for emotional footing. Finally, he was relieved to see her slink back toward her chair. "Go on," she mumbled, throwing a look toward her family. It was clear that she would rather be anywhere but there. "Who's next?"

"That'd be me," Luke announced, carefully arranging himself in the chair across from his only daughter. "I know that this isn't easy for you, Princess, but you're doing a great job. Every single time you smile at me, I see a little piece of your mother in there. You're almost as much of an angel as she is."

"I'm scared, Dad," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the constant hum of the air conditioner. "I can't undo all of these things I've done. I don't want to end up like her. More than anything, I don't want to be my mother."

"You're not going to be like your mom, Lesley Lu," he avowed. "Your mom went through a lot of things that made her slip into catatonia. I know that you've been through some hard times yourself, but I don't think you have that same kind of psychological damage. You are determined to stay here, and you're a Spencer. We can do anything we put our minds to. Speaking of which, that brings me to my question for you. When this is all over and done, what do you hope to have achieved?"

A slow smile played upon her lips as she looked past her father and into her husband's foggy green eyes. "I want to be ready for my future," she retorted. "For so long, I was never really sure what I wanted. I think a lot of the confusion in my head stems from the fact that I never had a plan. But over the past few months, I found a part of myself I never knew existed. Now, I have so much to live for, to plan for. I want to be able to be a good daughter, a good sister, a good aunt, a good wife and eventually even a good mother. I want to be able to leave my past, never quite forgetting but not letting it rule my life either."

"You're a wife now," he acknowledged. "That's quite a big change. What made you feel like you were ready to take that step?"

She nodded her head toward Dillon, how was grinning widely at her. "That smile," she answered simply. "Everything in my life begins and ends with that smile. I never thought I would be one of those pathetic girls, but I am. I am in love with my husband, and everything I have ever wanted…even the things I didn't know I wanted…I found in him."

"You didn't really answer my question."

"How does anyone ever know, Dad? You just do. You felt it with Mom, Lucky felt it with Elizabeth once and so did Emily and Nikolas. It's this innate thing that you can't deny. One day, you think you're this whole person, and then someone comes along and completes a part of your heart you didn't even know was empty. And then losing them would be like losing a part of yourself. I've already more of my heart than I care to remember, I have no intention of losing him as well."

Tilting his daughter's head, he stared at her proudly. "That's how I know you're going to be okay," he stated confidently. "Maybe that doctor over there would say differently, but I think it's important that you find something to cling to. If Dillon is that for you, sweetheart, don't ever let him go. As long as there is something tethering you here, you won't ever be able to float away."

Lainey bit her bottom lip, frustrated that the eldest Spencer was encouraging her to rely so heavily on her codependent relationship with Dillon. The intention of the session was to show Lulu that while she did have so many people to live for, the most important person in her life needed to be herself. "I'd like to move onto Lucky's question."

Lucky unfolded the slip of paper and looked over it. He hated what he had to ask but he knew that there was a specific reason he had been assigned the question. His father patted his shoulder reassuringly as he sunk into the chair, his legs hitting the cold metal surface heavily on the way down. Looking over at the doctor, he only became more frustrated when she nodded his way, silently prodding him to go on. "Lu, none of these questions have been easy. When Lainey said that they might be hard to ask, I didn't really know what she meant until I looked at mine. I don't want to ask you this."

"Lucky, if I can answer this question, you can ask it," she urged him. "Prolonging it only makes it harder for both of us."

"My question is, then," he sighed, "have you forgiven us?"

The words echoed throughout the room, leaving everyone feeling heavy and awkward. Luke immediately tensed up, visibly recoiling as the weight of the words hit him. Bobbie and Lucas shifted uncomfortably, feeling out of place for the first time all evening. Jason, as quiet as ever, glanced at his sister tensely, wondering if he should excuse himself from the cramped space. Elizabeth averted her gaze away from Carly and focused on a spec of paint on the floor while Nikolas tapped a rhythmic cadence on the side of his chair. Only Tracey seemed unaffected by the moment, still caught up in the fact that her youngest son was now married.

Sadly, she shook her head, indicating that she hadn't, in fact, forgiven them. "When you were strung out, you said things to me that I will never be able to forget," she confessed. "I understand now that it was the drugs talking, but it doesn't take away the pain. When I needed you the most, you weren't there for me. When my world was falling apart, you weren't there to help me put it back together. It's hard to just get past something like that."

Turning toward Elizabeth, she tried to find the right words to say what she felt like needed to be said. "When he was at his worst, you weren't there to support him. Instead, you were busy falling into bed with another man. I understand now why you did it, but it doesn't excuse it," she murmured. "And if that's where it stopped, maybe I could forget about it. But you're with Nikolas now, and I feel like you betrayed us all a second time. You didn't just hurt Lucky when you made these choices, Elizabeth, you hurt this entire family. We let you into the fold, and you nearly ripped my family apart."

"Not that I just blame her for that," she pointed out, shifting her gaze to Nikolas. "You were the oldest brother, the one who was supposed to take care of us both. I can't pretend to know what happened between you and her in that hotel, but I know that you haven't been up front about some things. You had to know how this would affect the entire family, Nik. Did you think about anyone but yourself? I know you're a Cassadine and not a Spencer, but that's never mattered before. I can't help but feel like you changed that to some degree."

Glancing at Emily, she shrugged. "I guess all four of you share blame in the situation in varying degrees. My anger with you stems from something a little before this, back to last year when you turned your back on this family to be with Sonny. I know that I don't have the right to be angry about that…but Nikolas lost Courtney. I almost died. Lucky was really sick. You weren't there for any of that, just like you weren't around when my mom got sick. It kind of feels like you want to be a part of this family when it's convenient for you, when the conditions are right for Emily. That's not how we work."

"And Dad," she stated, "there is a list a mile long of grievances against you. I could spend the rest of my life naming instances of when you failed me in one way or another. Sure, when it really counts, you've been there, but you've also missed so much along the way. It's not just about me but Lucky and Cam, too. You always taut the family name, but you haven't contributed a damn thing to this family. If it wasn't for Aunt Bobbie and Lucky, we wouldn't even have a family."

"As for the rest of you, I don't really have anything to complain about. Aunt Bobbie has been like a mother to me, and Lucas has never really let me down in any significant way. Carly has been there for me almost more than anyone over the past year, and Jason is Jason without any room for reservation or regret. Tracey, you've always been upfront with me, and really, I actually am glad we're in the place where we are. I never thought I would say that to you."

"I guess that only really leaves me with you, Dillon," she continued. "You've apologized profusely for most of the issues between us, and I'm still working on forgiving you for a lot of it. You said things to me that you can never take back, but maybe we can get past them. I think the one thing I have had the most trouble with is just how much you pushed me away after the abortion. You were so angry at me sometimes, but in the next moment, you'd treat me like I was fragile and on the verge of breaking down at any minute. You never really helped me deal with it, instead pretending like it never happened. And you criticized how I dealt with it when it wasn't your place to comment at all."

"But as angry as I am with all of you in my heart," she concluded, "I am most upset with myself. I can't forgive you all until I can forgive myself. I think that's why Lainey brought you all here, and I'm sure that's why she gave Lucky that question. I need to let go of the past and recognize that I did what I felt was best. Sure, there are things that I'm not proud of, but they're a part of this history that has made me who I am."


	43. Chapter 43

The family took a break for a few minutes after Lulu answered the last question, both giving her and themselves the chance to breathe. She had been stoic afterward, only going inside herself slightly as silence invariably swept over the room. Dillon had been the first to file out, his mother close behind. Emily and Lucky were in the corner, talking quietly to Jason and Carly while Nikolas held court with Elizabeth, Bobbie and Lucas. As she tried to steady her nerves, she repeatedly crossed and uncrossed one ankle over the other.

Luke was still in his chair as well, slightly bent over in deep contemplation. Brushing his hand over his ashy hair nervously, he silently wished that Laura was there. She would know what to do, what to say in such a difficult moment. Hell, if she were, Lulu wouldn't be in this situation. She'd probably be a vivacious girl living life to the fullest in the dorms at PCU with nothing more to worry about than her art history final or a fraternity party. Instead, his little girl had the weight of the world on her shoulders, dealing with the aftermath of an abortion, losing her mother for the second time, an unbelievable hostage situation and now a new marriage.

"Do you want to talk about the wedding?" he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn't stand to look at her, afraid that disappointment he didn't even feel would be visible in his gaze. "Was there a reason you did it in the middle of the night? Were you afraid that I would try to stop you?"

Lulu looked down at her scruffy sneakers, kicking her toe against the tile floor. "I think a part of me was afraid that you wouldn't," she admitted. "To be honest, I didn't really think about it before I did it. I just knew that the timing was right. I have wanted to be with Dillon for longer than anyone knows. When we became close last year, it changed my life. No one has ever gotten me the way that he does. I don't think that anyone could."

"You sound like your mother," he acknowledged with a smile. "When Laura first fell in love with me, everyone told her that she was crazy. She seemed to have a pretty good thing with Baldwin to outsiders, so no one could really understand how she could be with me. But your mother, she saw past the rough edges and all the way into my soul. No matter what I did to her, how hard I tried to push her away, she was relentless in her pursuit to love me unconditionally. Even then, I knew that it was something special, something beyond replication. I never thought I'd witness another love like that. Looking at you now, I know that I was wrong. It's the kind of love you share with Young Spielberg."

"You know what's even better, Dad?" she asked brightly. "He loves me the exact same way. He doesn't put expectations or limitations on our love. He just believes in it. He has helped me find this faith in myself, in our relationship."

Cupping her chin in his palm, Luke told his daughter how proud he was before changing the subject seamlessly. "Dillon still has to ask his question. I think there's a reason that Lainey chose him to go last. For some reason, something tells me that this is going to be the hardest question for you to answer. Are you ready for it?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I've already faced a lot of issues today that I didn't want to deal with. I married the love of my life last night. The last 24 hours have been beyond tumultuous. I just want to get this over with so that I can go home with my husband and spend our first night as a married couple together."

"I have a better idea," Luke suggested. "In fact, your cousin and I had a little talk a few minutes ago, and you won't be going home to night…or for the rest of the week for that matter. Carly has agreed to let the new happy couple have the honeymoon suite for the rest of the week for free. We want you to be able to have a little time to yourselves before you have to deal with the fallout the Quartermaines will send your way."

In the hallway, Dillon paced the empty corridor, waiting for his mother to begin her spiel. Her face was grave, frozen with a look filled with confusion and distain. He knew that she wouldn't understand. How could she? Until she had met Luke, Tracey Quartermaine had never truly loved another man. And even with Luke, it wasn't the kind of love he shared with Lulu. Their relationship went much further than anyone could really understand. He wished that she could see because then she wouldn't be so quick to argue. Finally, he stopped and turned to address Tracey.

"Let's just get it over, Mom. I know you want to yell at me, tell me that I'm stupid and I've thrown my life away. If you're going to do that, I'd rather you did it now rather than in front of my wife."

She was quiet for a few moments, almost withdrawn. Slowly bringing her eyes up, she grimaced at him anxiously. "Why didn't you tell me?" she inquired. "I would have wanted to be there, and not to stop you, Dillon. You are my son, and despite what everyone else thinks, I love you. You and Ned are the most important people in the world to me and maybe the only things I've ever done right. Last night, I missed the most important thing you're ever going to do."

"I honestly thought you would be angry," he tried to explain. "I didn't want you to ruin last night for Lulu. She has been through so much, and I just wanted to give her one perfect evening. It wasn't a dream wedding by any means, but it was ours. I'm glad we did it the way that we did. It was true to our relationship and who we have become as a couple."

"Can we at least have a reception or something here?" she pleaded. Dillon couldn't believe how innocent she seemed. It was as if she truly wanted to be there for him and do something to celebrate his marriage to Lu. "We don't have to invite all our business obligations or anything – just the family and close friends. It's been a hard year, Dillon. I just lost my brother. I want to celebrate what people I do have left."

Without a word, Dillon stepped closer to his mother, wrapping his arms around her in an affectionate, warm embrace. "That sounds great, Mom. We would both really appreciate having something to celebrate the wedding," he smiled. "I appreciate your support in this. I know that you might not have chosen Lulu for me, but she's the one I want. She's the right one."

"I know that now," she admitted. "You look at her in a way I never saw you once look at Georgie. It doesn't matter how I feel because your love for her is just so apparent. That's the only thing that should matter, and I'm happy that for you, it's the only thing that does."

"Guys, we need to get back in there," Lucky announced to the crowd. Narrowing his eyes at his new brother-in-law, he managed a semi-genuine smile. "It's your turn."

Slipping into his chair back in the private room, Dillon tried not to notice his stomach churning. Pulling the crinkled index card from his back pocket, he glanced over the doctor's even handwriting. The question was hard, going beyond the realms of common decency to the root of something very dark and difficult. Folding it with a simple crease, he shoved back from where it had come from. Reaching for her hand, he gazed at her intently, making everything else around them seem to fade away. He knew if that she could just focus on him, she would be able to get herself through this. "Why did you have the abortion?"

An audible gasp swept over the room, most notably Elizabeth and Carly. The youngest mothers in the room immediately wished to protect her, but Bobbie and Tracey trusted him enough to know that Dillon knew what he was doing. He could put Lulu in a safe place where she could feel free to speak from her heart. With his love and support, he would be able to unlock the park of her heart she kept most guarded.

"There are a lot of reasons, Dillon, you know that," she sighed. "We've talked about this so many times. Why do we have to keep bringing it up?"

"Because somewhere in your head, you need to hear the answers," he retorted. "We both know that you know your reasons, but I don't think you've ever really let your heart understand. The logical part of you won out, causing your emotions to take the backseat. To help yourself deal with it, you never really dealt with it. You chose to make yourself forget. I'm choosing to make you remember."

"I wasn't ready, and you weren't ready. We couldn't give our baby the live it deserved," she rattled off. "I wish I had been selfless enough to be able to carry it to term, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to handle its every movement. It would have ended our lives. At the time, I didn't think that we would ever be together again."

"Did you think I didn't love you? If you had known, would it have changed anything?"

She shook her head vehemently. "I knew that you loved me," she whispered. "I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I knew how you felt. Everyone around us knew how you felt. You loved me even after the abortion, Dillon. You loved me when I couldn't even love myself. If that doesn't make me regret it, nothing ever could."

"Then, you know that you did the right thing," he pointed out. "You did the best thing for us at that point in our lives, Lulu. Do you get that?"

"I still killed our baby."

Those words hit him harder than anything he had ever felt, nearly suffocating him from the weight of the simple sentence. Nothing he could ever say would take that away. It was true, she had made a decision to end their child's life, but it wasn't murder. In fact, it was nothing. It had just been this incredibly difficult moment than no one would ever be able to explain or make right. It wasn't theirs to judge; it wasn't even his to judge. It was Lulu's.

"You allowed our child to return to somewhere he or she would always be safe and loved," he assured her in a soft, even tone. "Given everything else that was going on, that was the most selfless thing you could have done. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks here, Lu. It only matters how you feel about your choice. You allowed me to see that this choice was for the best. You need to let yourself see that now, too."

"What if that is the only chance we ever get?"

"I don't think it will be, but if it is, I will still be okay with your choice," he promised. "I am in love with you, both despite and because of this. I can't make this okay for you. I can't make you believe that your choice was right. That is something that you are going to have to do for yourself. I wish that I could make it easier, but I can't. You said it best earlier. You have to forgive yourself."

Her face fell, tears coming so freely. She could feel her mind going fuzzy, but Dillon reached out and pulled her to him. "Don't slip away," he ordered insistently, squeezing her tightly. "I'm going to hold you and keep holding you. You need to stay here for me."

Pulling away slightly, it finally hit her. She pressed her forehead against his and smiled widely, delightfully surprising everyone around them. "No, Dillon, I need to stay here for me."


	44. Chapter 44

A few days later, Lulu slept in a ball on the couch in the sitting room, her blonde hair fanned to cover her face. Snuggled beneath a steel gray chenille throw, she had snuck off from a long lunch with the family after listening to Edward go on and on about the Quartermaine obligations they had surrounding their impending reception. After much badgering from the older man, Dillon had eventually relented on the subject, agreeing that it would be good for ELQ to have some kind of semblance of family unity for such an occasion as their wedding. She had flat out refused to have a second wedding, so they had agreed on the compromise of a formal reception.

"No!" she screamed in her sleep, her voice echoing throughout the entire house. Sitting straight up, she could feel her entire body quaking with fear. She called out for Dillon and then her father, praying that someone would come to ease her mind. When someone finally did show up, she almost wished that she had kept her mouth shut.

"Are you okay?" Tracy asked with concern, sitting next to the girl on the edge of the couch. Reaching up, she pushed Lulu's soft ringlets back from her tanned forehead. "What were you dreaming about? I heard the terror in your voice; it had to be something pretty awful to bring that tone out."

Lulu looked down at her hands, which were balled into tight fists. Tracy seemed to notice as well as she carefully unfolded the girls white knuckles. Gripping Lulu's fingers loosely in her hands, Tracy brushed her thumb across her palm reassuringly. The gentle touch reminded Lulu of her mother for a moment while Tracy thought back to her own mother. Lila had done the very same gesture so many times to calm Tracy down.

"I had blocked a lot of the hostage situation out of my mind. I didn't want to think about it," she said softly. "But since the session, I've dreamt about it every single time I've closed my eyes. I'm remembering it in bits and pieces, tiny flashes and fragments of a very vivid nightmare. The first night I remembered what it was like to hold a compress over Robin's body. It seemed so real; I could even smell the blood."

"Lainey told your father that this might happen," Tracy retorted. "She said that the family session was designed to break down a dam that your mind has built up. You didn't want to remember anything, so you constructed this thing to help keep the memories at bay. Now, they are flooding to your mind, coming at you whenever and however they can. In order to fully move on, you have to relive through everything again. Maybe it would help if we talked about your latest dream."

Pulling her knees up to her chin, she rested her forehead against her forearm. "Toward the end, my father got desperate. He showed up and tried to help Lucky get us out. Then, Alan came out, and they put themselves in harm's way to save his life. Anyhow, he must have come back, and knowing him, I'm guessing that no one wanted him there. Somewhere in there, he must have gone to Skye and Alcazar."

"I don't know all the details," Tracy nodded, "but I know that he wanted to try to get the combination to the briefcase. Eventually, he did get into the hotel, as you know, to get to you. There was a lot that happened in between, including the brief period he was handcuffed to the pipe."

"Well, while my father was negotiating with Craig, he held me at gunpoint," Lulu said. "I don't know how I managed to suppress that because now that I've remembered it, I can't shake the feeling. I can still feel it, the cold metal pressed against my temple. It was so heavy, almost like the weight of the world existed on that single barrel. He'd already shot that gun once on a hostage, and I knew that he wouldn't hesitate to do it again."

Putting her arm maternally around her new daughter-in-law, Tracey pulled Lulu to her body. Swaying gently, she formed an organized pattern of breath to make her feel some sense of normalcy. "Go on," she prodded.

"It still smelled like gunpowder. I had forgotten what that smelled like. My mom always used to tell me that it smelled like crayons, but I could never quite put my finger on it. It just has this distinct odor, and there's nothing like it in the world," she remembered. "I tried not to flinch, afraid that even the smallest involuntary twitch would cause his trigger finger to react."

"What was going on inside your head?"

"I wanted to see Dillon, and I wanted to see my mother. Honestly, those were the only thoughts going through my mind at that time. Eventually, I started to think about Lucky, Nikolas and my dad. I felt angry at myself for wasting time being mad at Lucky and regretting the fact that I haven't been closer to Nikolas. I wished that I had been able to accept my father for who he was earlier. I thought about Cam and Spencer, too. The only solace I could find…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes shifted into a distant gaze. Whatever what was on her mind was going to be something very difficult for her to admit.

"Lulu, what else were you thinking about in there?" Tracy pushed, careful not to press to hard. She knew that if she could get her to the place, Lulu might be on the verge of a very significant breaking point.

Bringing her gaze back to Tracy, Lulu focused all of her attention on the antique ruby broach affixed to her stepmother's collar. "I knew that if I died, at least I would be with my baby again," Lulu admitted. "I thought that maybe this was God's way of punishing me or making me live up to my responsibilities. If I hadn't done that, maybe I wouldn't have been there."

"Lulu, can I ask you a question?"

"What?" she replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you blame Dillon for this?"

"Of course not!" she cried incredulously. "Dillon didn't do this. He didn't hold me hostage."

"Then you can't blame yourself either," Tracy returned. "You didn't get yourself pregnant; that situation wasn't entirely your fault. You didn't put yourself in that hostage situation; it wasn't your fault at all. I want you think about it. Dillon could blame himself for everything. He asked you to be at the hotel. He could have stayed down there with you or went down on his own. Instead, he let you go down there. You were there to meet him. And if you want to bring the abortion into it, he helped put you there. Would you want him to blame himself?"

"I'd give my life if it meant keeping this kind of pain away from him."

Tracey scoffed to herself. "Where have I heard those words before?" she muttered. "Dillon said the exact same thing that night. He would have traded places with you in an instance, and despite how much I love my son, I probably would have let him."

"You would have let him do that for me?"

She shook her head slightly. "It wouldn't have just been for you, Lulu," she explained. "It would have been for my family. For your father, for you and for my son because I know that it would have been what they wanted in varying degrees. Your father would rather he be in there than either of you kids, and Dillon would rather be in there instead of you."

"They both really love me, don't they?"

"More than you will ever know."

"They both love you, too, you know? I think it's something that we definitely have in common. The way I look at it, we're pretty damn lucky. I don't think I can name two men more willing to go the distance for the women they love. And we get to have both of them in our lives."

"You're lucky to have who?" Luke asked as he strode into the room. Coming back from his weekly visit with his comatose angel, he was more chipper than usual. All in all, his life was better than it had been in quite some time. While it was a long way from perfect, he was actually happy.

"We're both lucky to have you," Lulu smiled widely, her genuine happiness radiating from her eyes. Reaching over, she threw her arms around her father's neck without abandon, reminding them both of a time when she was a much smaller kid. "And now, I am going to go tell my husband how lucky I am to have him, especially since he has agreed to coordinate all the details with Edward so that I don't have to deal with it."

"Wow, he must really love you," Luke remarked dryly, earning a sharp jab from Tracy in the ribs. "Hey, you know it's true."

"He's still my father. I can say whatever I want to about him because he's family."

"We're all family," Lulu reminded her before bounding toward the staircase. She could still hear her father quibbling with Tracy as she stepped off the landing. Stopping, she listened to their bickering voices for a minute. They really were lucky to have found each other – all of them. "There you are."

"I'm glad that you are home. Grandfather is driving me insane with all these invitation requests. I am starting to regret it."

"You're just now starting?" she taunted as she fell onto the bed next to him, snuggling up to his body like a spoon. Serenity immediately consumed her exhausted frame as he buried his nose in the crevice of her neck. "Your mom and I just decided something."

"That could be dangerous."

"We are both lucky to have you. You'd give your life for me, and let me tell you, that's a pretty powerful thing."

"I won't pretend that you're an easy woman to love, Lu, but your father was right. Nothing in the world has ever been more worth it," he murmured into her ear. "Georgie once told me that if you kept pushing me away, eventually I was going to have to let you go. I told her that you were my lifeline, and that I was yours. One couldn't fully exist without the other."

"Have you ever thought about leaving Port Charles?" she asked out of nowhere.

"Of course, to go to Los Angeles to be a director," he answered nonchalantly. "Where did that come from? Do you want to leave?"

"I used to want to get out of here more than anything. I thought that it was the only way I could ever be happy," she recollected. "Leaving would have been the biggest mistake I ever made. Now, I don't think I'd ever want to be anywhere else. Port Charles is my home."

"It's a pretty powerful thing to have all your memories wrapped up into one place. That's one of the many things I admire about you. There's a whole lifetime for you here."

"I used to be jealous that Lucky grew up on the run with my parents and that I was the one who had the so-called stability of growing up in one house, one town. Now, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Despite all the drama and people set on seeing my family fail, Port Charles has my heart."

"And what about me? What do I have?"

"The best of my love," she repeated, stealing the title of her favorite Eagles song.

"Who knew you were so sentimental?"

As Lulu was about to reply, she heard the unwanted melody of her phone ringing from beneath the stack of pillows. Rolling her eyes, she pulled it out and answered it with an exasperated tone. "Hello?"

"Elizabeth is in labor, and there are complications," Nikolas rattled over the phone. "Call Lucky and meet us here. It's not looking good&


	45. Chapter 45

Lucky followed Emily up the hallway, both of them running as fast as their legs could carry them. His hand gripped hers tightly as they weaved their way through the masses of people in the hospital corridor, past nameless doctors and nurses they couldn't bother to acknowledge. As they turned around a corner, they could see assorted members of their family filling the single row of hospital chairs. Lulu was pale and listless, her head resting on Dillon's shoulder. Audrey was hunched over, gently rocking Cameron in a calming manner. Jason sat on the end, Carly tucked close to him. Nikolas stood off to the side, staring vacantly at a closed operation room door.

"How is she?" Lucky asked Alexis quietly as she rejoined the group. The lawyer looked tired and worried, clearly anxious about something. "Where is Elizabeth?"

Alexis looked from Lucky to Emily, shaking her head slightly. "She lost a lot of blood before the ambulance even made it here," she explained in a loud whisper. "They are going to have to take the baby via c-section. Elizabeth was unconscious before she even went into surgery."

"Have they told you anything?" Emily asked, searching her eyes for any indication about the state of her best friend.

"No one has come out yet."

"I'm going to try to see what I can find out," Emily told Lucky. "I might be able to use my position here to get some kind of insight. Do you know who is in there with her?"

"Dr. Lee went in. She asked Robin to assist. Patrick is also on standby in case anything should go wrong with Elizabeth. She has the best team General Hospital has to offer," Alexis promised.

"Daddy!" Cameron screamed, noticing his father for the first time. Leaping from his great-grandmother's arms, he scampered across the floor to fly into Lucky's arms. Lucky lifted him effortlessly, burying his face in his son's hair. Holding him tightly, he silently prayed that the little boy's mother would return to them both.7 "Mommy is sick. I'm kind of scared. What if something happens to her or the baby?"

"Nothing is going to happen to her," he promised soothingly. "Your mommy and your little brother are both going to be okay. As soon as she wakes up, I bet you are the first person she wants to see. Why don't you go back to Grandma Audrey and color her a picture? That will make her feel lots better."

"That's a good idea," Cam agreed, hugging his father. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, buddy," he declared before setting him back on his feet. He watched Cameron skip back toward Audrey before climbing back into a chair next to her. Looking around the room, he quickly shifted his gaze to Nikolas. His brother looked as though he could jump out of his skin any minute. Walking up next to him, he searched for the right thing to say. When it became clear that there were no words, he just pulled him into a silent hug. Eventually, they both pulled away, wiping tears sheepishly with the back of their hands. "How are you holding up?"

"As well as you would in the same situation," Nikolas answered. "They won't tell me anything. I'm not officially her kin, so I couldn't even go in there. Jason is the father, but they won't let him in either."

"We're still legally married," Lucky realized suddenly. "I'm the one who is supposed to make her medical decisions, aren't I?"

"Legally speaking, you are the only one. Jason has jurisdiction over the baby in some ways, but since you are still married to Liz, you have say as well. Look, this situation isn't great for anyone involved, but I'm asking you to do what's best for her."

"Any choice that has to be made, I will make with what she would want in mind. And I will consult Audrey on anything. I truly believe that's what Elizabeth would want," Lucky avowed. "Elizabeth is the mother of my son, and he needs her. I won't do anything to put her life in jeopardy."

"She would want the baby to be put first."

"Let's not think about it unless that time comes," Lucky retorted dismissively before slipping away to Jason. Gesturing to the icy mobster, he waited for him to join him. "Because Liz and I are still married, I'm still responsible for making her medical choices. I just wanted to let you know that I won't stand in your way unless it would directly impact her. As soon as your son is born, his decisions will be up to you. You have my word."

"I appreciate you not fighting with me on this," Jason replied. "I promise that I will do what is best for him. I know that is what she would want."

Just then, Patrick ran past, his stethoscope thrown over his shoulder. "Epiphany, Elizabeth Spencer is coding. I'm going to need you to assist in here at once. Call Monica Quartermaine and then come scrub in."

"What's wrong with Elizabeth?" Nikolas demanded of the doctor as he struggled to look through the window of the room.

"Dr. Quartermaine is on her way to discuss the options with the family," Patrick explained. "Until then, you need to wait here. Only one person will be allowed in the room with her. I will leave it up to you to decide."

Lucky looked at his brother and then over at Jason. "Who gets to go?"

"I want to go," Nikolas implored.

"He's my son," Jason countered.

"She's my girlfriend," Nikolas retorted.

"She's my wife," Lucky declared. "With that said, I get to make the choice. I know who Elizabeth would want in there."

"And who's that?" Nikolas asked.

"Me," Audrey said from behind the three men.

"She's exactly right," Lucky told them. "Audrey, you go inside. She is going to need your strength."

"Thank you, Lucky," Audrey replied before following Epiphany in to prepare to observe the surgery. It was unorthodox that a member of the medical staff be allowed to watch a family member within the confines of the operating room, but normal rules had never applied to Chief Nurse Webber.

"How could you do this to me?" Nikolas asked angrily before stalking off.

Emily looked at her boyfriend before following her ex-husband out of the room. Too tired to chase after her, Lucky took Audrey's empty chair and watched his son color a picture of a parrot. Carly watched her cousin struggle with choice, knowing full well that it was difficult to do what's right when your heart wants you to do what feels best. Glancing at her best friend and the love of her life, she wondered if she could make such a selfless choice if she were in his position. Slipping her hand into Jason's, she squeezed his fingers supportively.

"They are both going to be fine," she proclaimed confidently, hoping that she could mask her fear with a strong tone. "You've waited too long to be a father. You're not going to lose him now."

"I'm already a father," he whispered as he pulled her body closer to his. In times like these, he felt better simply having the feeling of her cool skin on his. "I became a father the instant Elizabeth confessed that the baby was mine. And even before that, I got to be a paternal figure to the two most wonderful boys in the world. Loving Michael and Morgan has taught me everything I know."

"Just like loving you has taught me everything that I know," she murmured. Leaning over, she pressed her forehead to his as Jason captured his mouth into a sultry caress. If only for a moment, it was nice to let everything around them fade away. "I love you, Jason Morgan."

"I love you, Carly Corinthos," he repeated, his voice dragging out her last name. "You know what, something sounds so wrong about that name. I think we need to do something about it."

"I guess I could go back to my maiden name, but it just makes more sense to keep Corinthos because of the boys."

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh, Jase," she gasped.

"I want to marry you, Caroline," he whispered, small tears in the corner of his oceanic eyes. "We've already lost so much time."

"You already know the answer," she managed just before their mouths crashed together again.

Lulu had been quiet since arriving at General Hospital. Nikolas had quickly explained the situation, not bothering to dwell on any of the details. Dillon had sat silently next to her, supporting her physically with his body and emotionally with his heart. While his wife was still somewhat angry at Liz, he knew that Lulu still loved her like a sister. Losing her wasn't an option at this juncture. If only for the sake of Lulu's sanity, Elizabeth had to be okay.

"How are you holding up?" he asked Lulu quietly, not bothering to turn and look at her. He knew exactly how her eyes looked, devoid of any true emotion. She was frozen like a statue, posed in a way that she thought she should look.

She shrugged wordlessly. "I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. I feel bad for Nikolas, he can't have any say in the life of the woman he loves most. I feel bad for Jason, he's virtually powerless in making decisions about his son. I feel bad for Lucky because he has to balance his own convictions with those of the two people who should have say just because they haven't gone through with their divorce. I feel bad for Cam because he doesn't deserve to lose his mother. I just feel bad."

"It's going to be fine."

"You don't know that," she argued evenly.

"Everything is going to be fine because we all need Elizabeth to be fine. Every single one of us sitting in this hospital room needs for her to survive. Beyond the simple fact that we all love her, each of us has our own reason for having her be okay."

"I can't believe I've been so hard on her."

"It's okay; you've been through a lot. Elizabeth understands."

"It's not okay," she disputed. "No one deserves to be treated the way I've been to her. It doesn't make me any better than it did Georgie or Maxie. I've prided myself on being a better person that that, Dillon, but I've been awful toward Elizabeth. You wouldn't want anyone to treat me the way I've treated her."

"That's true," he agreed. "I guess this is going to give you something to think about. Let that be your focus, not the worst case scenario."

"You're a smart man, Mr. Quartermaine."

"And you're a beautiful woman, Mrs. Quartermaine."

In a quiet hallway away from the waiting room, Emily finally caught up with Nikolas. She stood and waited for him to say something to her, but never did. "Nik?"

"Not now, Em. Please not now," he pleaded through his tears. His entire body shook with sobs, reaching from the top of his head to the bottom of his soles. "I can't do this now."

Wrapping her arms around him, Nikolas could feel her chin bump against his shoulder as she nodded. "Yes, we can," she pledged. "Together, we can."


	46. Chapter 46

Lucky stood alone at the window, watching his angelic wife sleep peacefully in her hospital bed. Her chestnuts ringlets framed her face, eyelids hiding her clear green eyes and genuine smile. The gentle rise and fall of every breath reminded him that while she was still alive, she was far from being with them. Part of him wished that they had already finalized the divorce so that he didn't have to make this decision. The other part of him was glad that he hadn't because he had known Elizabeth longer and better than anyone else.

"Wake up," he pleaded silently. "Wake up and tell me what you want me to do. It's almost time for them to make a decision, Liz. We need you here. I can't do this without you."

The doctors had come in immediately after the surgery, happy to report that they had managed to stop the contractions for now. It was likely that the medication would only hold her off for the next few hours, giving him just enough time to make a decision. Audrey had listened to the explanations with him, but she refused to make a choice. She feared that hers would be selfish as she wanted dearly for her granddaughter to live. Surprisingly, she trusted the most Lucky to make a decision for Liz. He was the only one who had all the key players in mind and could ably push away his own needs and wants.

Nikolas and Jason were in with the surgeons now, getting the same spiel he'd gotten from Audrey minutes before. Nikolas was the more vocal of the two, occasionally calling out in anguish as he listened to them give the grim news. Jason appeared to be as composed as ever with Carly by his side. Lucky's blonde cousin was unusually quiet as she listened to the explanation so that she could help Jason make any choices should the need arise. She had spoken with Lucky briefly before going in, telling him that Jason trusted him to make the right decision. Nikolas still hadn't talked to him since returning with Emily earlier.

"Penny for your thoughts, Spencer," Emily announced as she slipped behind him. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she leaned her head on his strong back. "I know that this can't be easy for you. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I will eventually, but not right now," he apologized. "I need to make this choice with only her voice in my head. I know that Elizabeth would trust me to do what's right for her children, and they're what I need to think about now. I can't have everyone else telling me what is right for her. I feel like I'm the only one that can really answer that."

"That sounds like the answer of a man still in love with his wife," she replied softly. "I don't want to tell you what to do. I just want to know if you want me here."

"Of course, you're one of her best friends, Em. Elizabeth would want you here."

"That's not what I asked, Lucky. I asked if you wanted me here."

"You weren't that worried about me when you were with Nikolas earlier," he shot back angrily. He couldn't believe that she was picking a fight with him now. "Look, I can't do this with you. Not now, not ever. I love Elizabeth, I always will, but I'm with you now. I can't be jealous every time I see you with Nikolas just like you can't be jealous every time I'm with her. We have a son together, our lives are intertwined. You are a part of Spencer's life. We need to be supportive of each other. We need to build up our relationship, not tear it apart."

"You're right," she agreed affectionately, dragging one hand around his waistline as she walked in front of him. Standing on her toes, she looked into his eyes and smiled warmly. "I'm sorry. I just got you, so I guess you can understand if I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me if you can just support me in this," he promised. "For now, can you do me a favor? I know that Cam is pretty scared. I don't want to ask Audrey to take him home, but do you think you could spend the night with him at my house? He needs to spend the night in his own bed around his own things. You'll be able to distract him pretty easily. You have a way with him."

"I think it's the least I can do," she retorted. "I'll talk to Nikolas and see if he wants me to take Spencer, too. It'd probably be better if I kept the boys together as to not break up their routine. I want to minimize the impact as much as possible."

"I'll call you if there is any news," he told her, pressing a quick kiss against her hair. "I'm going to go for a walk. I think I'll know where to go to get the answers. Tell Nikolas that I'll be back in an hour with an answer."

"Okay," Emily responded as he started to walk away. When he was almost at the end of the hallway, she called out to stop him. "Lucky!"

"Hmm?" he called back over his shoulder without turning around.

"I love you," she shouted, her hollow voice echoing throughout the corridor.

Silently, Lucky turned on his heel and sprinted back toward her. Sweeping her off her feet, he held her tightly against him. "I love you, too," he mumbled as their mouths crashed together.

Nikolas followed Jason and Carly out of the sterile waiting room, his body wracked with exhaustion from sitting for hours in the uncomfortable plastic chairs. His shoulders ached from awkward posture, alternating holding Spencer and bouncing his knee anxiously. His head was filled with tension as foreign medical terms swirled around in his brain. His back was sore from clenching and unclenching his muscles each time a doctor or nurse came out of the OR. More than that, his heart hurt from not knowing if Elizabeth was going to live or die. It killed him that her fate lay in the hands of anyone else. He wanted to keep her here with him.

Beside him, he saw Carly nudge her fiancée. "I'm going to go down and call the boys. I'll give you two a few minutes alone. Come find me when you're done."

Jason nodded silently before she treaded toward her destination. The two men stood next to each other, both shifting from one foot to the other out of nervousness. Finally, the mobster had to break the uncomfortable silence. "Do you know what Lucky is thinking?"

Nikolas shook his head. "I only know that he's thinking about what Elizabeth would want for her children," he shrugged. "I wish that there was something that I could do for her. I feel so helpless. All I can do is wait. I should be the one making this choice, or you at the very least. I hate everything about this."

"That right there," Jason drawled, "is probably why Lucky should be making this choice. We both have selfish stakes in this. You want to keep the woman that you love, and I want to keep the child that I love. What if we had to choose between one or the other? We could never be selfless enough to make the choice that was best for her. He can."

"Emily always told me that you were the most selfless person that she knew," Nikolas said. "I never understood how she could mean that until now. Even with your own stake in this, you want what is best for her. You know that could mean losing your child, but you're willing to do whatever it takes for her."

Jason pointed wordlessly to where Cameron was playing on the floor with Emily. His little face was lit up for the first time all day as they stacked and restacked a tower of bright blocks in the waiting room. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes for him," Jason explained. "He's the one who stands to lose the most here. I love my child, and I don't want to lose it more than anything in the world. But Cam could lose his mother, and no child deserves to grow up that way. All things considered, I think Elizabeth would want Lucky to make the choice that is going to keep her here with him."

"You should tell him that."

"No, he needs to make his own choice. Once upon a time, he was the most important person in Elizabeth's world, and she trusted him during the darkest period in her life. We both know that she would trust him to do this for her now."

"Uncle Nikolas, I'm going to go play with Auntie Emily at Uncle Lucky's house!" Cameron called excitedly as he ran toward his uncle. "Can Spencer come play with us? No one wants to stay at this stinky hospital anymore. I want to go home and make a picture for Mommy. It will make her smile when she wakes up."

"Em, are you sure you're up for taking both of them?" Nikolas asked skeptically. "I have the nanny at Wyndamere with him, and Alfred can always help. You don't have to."

"I want to," she confessed. "I've missed spending time with Spencer, and if nothing else, it will take my mind off all this. Besides, I'm not doing any good here. At least if Cam is out of this place, he can have some fun. It's what Liz would want."

"That sounds like a good idea," Nikolas acknowledged. "Why don't I take you to go get your stuff from Gram, Cameron? We'll meet you back here."

She nodded as the two toddled off back toward the dreaded waiting room. Turning to her brother, she reached out and rested her hand on his shoulder. "How you holding up, Jase?"

"I'm worried but okay," he answered. "I'm frustrated as Nikolas, but I know that there isn't anything I can do but pray. The waiting part is the hardest. Do you know if Lucky has made a choice?"

"He left the hospital to go for a walk. He said that he needed to go see something. I think he wants to go somewhere that meant something to him and Elizabeth. It'll help him gain some perspective or something."

"This must be killing you," Jason recognized. "How are you doing?"

"There are a lot of people more involved than me. I just want him to come to the best decision for everyone involved, whatever that may be," she smiled. "I know the power of permanent connection firsthand. Lucky can make this choice, something I don't envy. I know that Nikolas' will for me to get better is what helped me survive cancer. I have to pray that Lucky can do the same for her."

Lucky slipped back into the waiting room and headed immediately for his sister. "Lu, I need you to come with me," he whispered into her ear. She turned around, clearly surprised to see him, and nodded silently. Dillon was asleep next to her, but she didn't bother to wake him. She simply jotted a note on a slip of paper and left it in her seat. The urgency in her brother's voice told her that Lucky was on a mission that needed her assistance.


	47. Chapter 47

Lucky hadn't said a word since he'd left the hospital with Lulu. Automatically steering his police cruiser toward his rural destination, he stared aimlessly at the cold black pavement in front of him. In the passenger seat, Lulu leaned against the door and watched her brother steadily. His silence worried her. He was usually the first one to convince everyone that everything would be okay, but today, he didn't care about anyone other than his wife, her baby and their son. She didn't envy the position he was in, and she secretly felt for Nikolas and Jason. The thought of Georgie being able to make a choice for Dillon would drive her crazy. It must be difficult to watch the life of the woman you love or the mother of your child become dependant on someone else.

"Where are we going?" she asked finally. Lucky didn't answer her, and she didn't ask again. Instead, he reached for the knob on the radio and cranked it up. An old jazz song filled the car as he rolled down the windows. Lulu rested her head against the back of her seat and led the music wash over her. Humming along to the smooth melody, she recognized it as one from the old days of her father's blues club. "Do you remember this song?"

A serene smile spread over his pursed lips. "Of course," he said. "Emily and I used to hang out there all the time, much to Edward's chagrin. We'd play pool and sneak cheese fries from the cook. Dad even kept cases of root beer for us since we were far too young to drink the real stuff. Anyhow, this was on the old jukebox in the B4 slot."

"I remember," she smiled. "I danced with Dad to it once. He let me stand on his feet. I could barely reach his desk then, but he would always let me sit on the edge and pretend to be his secretary. After work, before he opened the club, I'd sit at the bar and drink milk in a champagne glass. I felt like such a princess. Maybe that's why he calls me Princess."

Turning off the main road and onto a grassy path, Lucky knew that the sentimentality was going to hit him soon. An old wooden train car loomed ahead. Stopping abruptly, he was quickly out of the vehicle and on his feet. "We're here."

"You brought me to an old train car?" Lulu asked skeptically, unsure of why they had arrived at this remote location. She had no idea of the significance this place had for Lucky and Elizabeth. She didn't understand.

Raking his fingers through his hair, Lucky looked over at his little sister and smiled wryly. "This is the boxcar," he explained. "I lived here for awhile. You were too young to remember, but after I came back from the dead, so to speak, this is where I stayed."

"I do remember," she sighed as she trekked behind him over the hill. "You used to come and visit me from heaven. I was the first person who got to see you. I hadn't thought about that in years."

"You have always been the most important person in the world to me, Lu," he revealed as they came upon the boxcar. "I know I've said it, but I'll tell you again. Spencer and you are my life. Don't ever forget that."

"Lucky, why did you bring me here?"

"I needed to make a choice about what to do, and as soon as I saw this place, I knew what I was going to do. As much as it kills me, and as much as I think she's going to hate me, I can't let Elizabeth die – not even for her child. She can't leave Cameron alone for a baby that may or may not live. I wish I could give my life so that this didn't have to happen, but I can't."

"I understand," she assured him. "Given everything, I don't think that I could let Dillon die, even for the sake of our child. Even if it was what he wanted, I know that if we had other children, it would never be fair to them. Eventually, I have to hope that he would understand. Elizabeth will too."

"Well, at least Nikolas will like the news. Jason is going to hate me."

"Maybe not," she ventured. "I've gotten to know Jason pretty well, and he has a way of surprising you in the biggest ways. He's not the type to hold a grudge, especially if it is for the benefit of a child."

"Can you give me a minute?" he asked with hooded eyes. "I just…I just need a minute."

Nodding, Lulu padded back toward the car. Her hand bumped against a hard piece of plastic in her jeans pocket. Pulling the small electronic device from her pocket, she automatically dialed her favorite number and waited for a connection. "Hey, baby."

"Lu!" Dillon breathed, sounding relieved. "Everyone was worried about you two. Where are you?"

"On the outskirts of town," she answered. "He made his choice. We talked about it some, but he's going through a lot right now. I can look at him and know that he's working it out in his head. I'm worried about him, Dil."

"What did he decide?"

"He should tell them first. I'm sorry; this just isn't mine to tell."

"Lu, let's go," Lucky declared as he walked past and shoved himself into the car.

"You have to go," Dillon said knowingly for her. "I'll be waiting for you at the entrance. Even an hour has seemed like a lifetime without you. I love you."

She smiled to herself. "I love you, too."

Back at the hospital, Jason stood alone staring into the busy nursery of Port Charles. His forehead leaned against the cool glass, his eyes eagerly watching the tiny babies. Only there, standing alone, could he admit to himself how much he wanted to be a father to this child, and only there could he admit that it wasn't going to happen. Despite his own selfish wants, Cameron was a real child who had had his mother for the past three years. He could never ask Lucky to take Elizabeth away. He wasn't even sure that would ever be what he wanted. He had to trust that God would help Lucky make the right decision.

From the end of the hallway, Carly sat with her ankles crossed, silently giving her fiancée the time and distance he needed. Looking at him now, she could see that he was working something out in his head, and it wasn't easy for him to be dealing with all the tumultuous feelings at once. Still, he was dedicated to doing what was right for everyone, despite what he wanted. As he covered his ice blue eyes with his rough hands, she knew that he needed her.

"Hey," she whispered softly into his ear, pressing her face into his back. Inhaling deeply, she enjoyed the familiar smell of turpentine, soap and pine that was Jason to her. "This is harder than you thought it would be, isn't it?"

She felt his muscles tense at her question. Running her arms down his sculpted sides, his body just as easily relaxed. "Yeah," he sighed hesitantly. "He's making a choice that I never had to make. Given the options, I know that I could never choose the child over Elizabeth. I would never ask him to do the same, even if it is my baby."

"You have been there," she reminded him, slipping in front of him so that he would have to look into her eyes. "You had to make a choice between Michael and me. You weren't willing to let me go, and I didn't even have any other children."

"I loved you," he said simply. "I had no idea how much I would fall in love with Michael then, but I knew that I had already fallen in love with you. You were my best friend and one of the most important people in my life. Sonny, Emily and you were the only people I cared about. There was no way I was going to lose you. But I'll tell you this, it's still the hardest choice I have ever had to make."

"Oh, Jase," she whispered, bringing him close to her. Only with Carly could Jason let his walls down enough to become vulnerable. As much as he hated it sometimes, she could always break through the façade to get to the deepest part of his souls. In so many ways, she was that part of him. "You know that Lucky is going to…"

He nodded. "I don't blame him at all. I couldn't," he smiled. "I was watching Cam earlier. That's all I needed to see. As much as I already love this baby, I want that kid to have his mother more. I'm already a father, and maybe someday, I'll get my chance to be one again."

"Michael and Morgan have always wanted a little sister," she smiled, allowing him to wrap her in his arm. "I'm going to help you through this, Jase. We'll do this together – you, me, Michael and Morgan – as a family."

"Thank you," he whispered, holding onto her for dear life. "Thank you."

At Elizabeth's bed side, Nikolas sat alone, watching his beautiful girlfriend sleep. Reaching for her hand, he carefully wove their fingers together. He had prayed for her to wake up all day long, begging for the chance for her to make the choice herself. As soon as this was over, he planned to make sure she was finally divorced and marry her himself. He never wanted either of them to be placed in this situation again. More than anything, he wanted to share his life with Elizabeth, Cameron and Spencer.

"Lucky went somewhere to decide whether you are going to live or die. I shouldn't look at it that way, but that's how it feels. If you were here, you would be the first one to tell me to understand or the first one to offer some kind of hope or prayer, in your very typical Elizabeth way. Emily tells me to keep that thought in my mind, but I can't seem to see past my own pain. I know that's not fair, but you can't leave us. We all need you – Audrey, Emily, Lucky, Lulu, Spencer, Cameron and me. We love you, I love you."

"Nikolas?" Lucky called from behind him. The Cassadine prince turned to meet his brother's wavering gaze. Jason was visible in the background, leaning against the shockingly white wall with his eyes squeezed shut. "Come on. I made my choice."

Nikolas brought Elizabeth's hand to his lips and kissed it carefully. As he got up, he leaned over to whisper into her ear. "I love you," he promised, "and I won't lose you now."

Trudging into the hall, he felt heaviness weigh on his shoulders as he basically awaited his fate. Lucky looked at both men, trying to find the right words. Looking past Nikolas, he could see Elizabeth still sleeping peacefully in the bed. Talking to Patrick upon his arrival, he knew that he only had a few minutes. He had called Emily on the drive in just to hear Cam's voice. He wished his son was there. "I made my choice."

"It's okay," Jason said, suddenly finding strength from a place he'd almost forgotten he had. "Elizabeth should live. You made the right choice."

"But I haven't even said anything," he protested. 

"You don't have to. You're a father," Jason smiled slightly. "I'm a father, too, and I had to make the same choice once upon a time. I understand. It's hard, but I understand."

Nikolas looked between them both, shocked at what he was hearing. "You mean?"

"Patrick already knows," Lucky replied. "They're taking her in now." Right then, Patrick and Kelly hurried past with a surgical team in toe. "I told Audrey first. Other than that, you were the first ones to know."

"Elizabeth is going to live," Nikolas whispered as Jason murmured, "my child is going to die."

Lucky looked at his feet, turned on his heel and started to walk away. At the last minute, he looked back at them both apologetically. "I did the best I could," he managed through the tears. "I did the best I could."


	48. Chapter 48

Lucky listened as Patrick told Elizabeth's family the exact details of what seemed to be a very complicated surgical procedure. He tried to focus on the words, to comprehend what they meant for the future of his wife and the people that they both loved more than anything. His left knee bounced nervously as he held Emily's hand loosely. Her long, delicate fingers were strong in his grip, caressing each muscle and bone affectionately. For everyone, it was just a strange place to be.

"I'd like to see her before she goes in," Lucky declared suddenly. "I just need to see her. I need to know that she is going to be okay."

"I can't promise anything," Patrick confessed. "The surgery has its dangers, and you all need to be prepared if something were to happen. Per Lucky's instructions, Elizabeth's life will be put first unless she is able to consciously and coherently make a choice of her own free will. I hope that it will not come to that, but I want everyone to be informed about what we are facing. We have the best surgical team in place, and I will do everything I can to bring Elizabeth back."

Nodding perfunctorily, Lucky didn't say anything as he kissed his girlfriend's fingers gently. "I'll be right back," he whispered before heading toward her room. Nikolas passed him a sideways look but he didn't bother to acknowledge him. Instead, he wanted to see Elizabeth. Just in case, he needed to be with her. Part of him felt guilty that he still felt such love and devotion for her, but another part of him was glad it was still there. It reminded him just how deep their bond ran. As he glanced at her through the large picture window before going in, he prayed for a last minute reprieve.

"Hey, Beautiful," he whispered, sitting at her bedside in the lone plastic chair in the room. Picking up her hand, he couldn't help but notice the mass of tubes and wires attached to her pale arm. He was glad that he had decided to keep Cameron away still. The small boy was currently having a good time with Lucas, playing with his favorite train toy. "Well, I wanted to be the one to tell you what I decided. I hope that you'll understand. I know that you would put me first with Cameron in mind. That's all I'm trying to do here. I told Patrick to save you first. Our son needs his mother, and I know that you need him."

"I drove out to the old boxcar this afternoon. I can't believe it's still there, after all these years, still hidden in that old field. I could still see where we carved our initials in the wall. Even after all this time, I still love you, Elizabeth Webber. I can't imagine what my life would be like without you. You are central to so many lives, and those people in there are living proof of that."

Pressing a kiss to her palm, he held it against his cheek. "I have to go so that they can take you in, but I'm going to ask this one last time," he concluded. "If you don't want this, Liz, you need to wake up now to tell me. We have to make a choice for you if you can't make one for yourself. You are the strongest person I know, so you need to come back now. Do you hear me? Come back now."

His voice was strong and urgent but fearful and childlike at the same time. It killed him to beg her like that, especially without her able to answer back. He'd give anything to take her place, the true definition of unconditional love. Gazing down at her, when her reply did not come, he whispered a final goodbye and a genuine declaration of love. While his heart was now with Emily, a part of his soul would always belong to his first love, Elizabeth.

"Lucky?"

He spun around, his hand immediately dropping from the doorknob. Her voice was barely audible, so hoarse that he could barely make out the two syllables. Still, as he stared at her wide-eyed, he felt immediate relief consume him. "Elizabeth!" he cried, quickly making his way across the room. "You're awake. I should get a doctor."

"In a second," she implored. "I need to tell you something first."

"What is it?"

"I heard everything," she replied. "I don't want to lose my baby, but you are right. I would never let Cam lose his father, and to be honest, I don't think I could chose to lose you, either. I just wanted to tell you that you made the right choice."

He looked at her, clearly perplexed. He almost expected her to be angry. "I'm sorry, but I'm your husband," he apologized. "Someone had to make the choice."

"You were the right man," she said as she started to fade away again, the backup anesthesia kicking in. "Somehow, you were always the right man."

Pressing the button over the bed, he called a nurse toward the room loudly. Epiphany must have sensed the urgency in his voice because she was there within moments, Patrick nipping at her heels. "She told me that I made the right choice," he rambled. The doctor just nodded, not sure how to respond. He listened to the rest of the story before dismissing him back to the waiting room. It was time for her to go in.

The hours passed, each taking longer than the one before it. Friends took turn pacing the hallways, family members holding vigil near the hospital room. Everyone was nervous, mostly silent, as they waited for a single word. Once or twice, a staff person came out of the room, causing all conversation to stop on a dime. No one would say a word to them or offer a single sign of the progress. Their fluid movements gave them hope, but one single second took all that way.

"We need a crash cart!" Epiphany screamed into a phone outside the door before disappearing back inside the room. Emily jumped to her feet first, knowing exactly what that meant. Lucky and Nikolas weren't too far behind. A neonatal nurse soon rushed by, dragging a tiny medical device behind her. Jason's eyes were frozen on the contraption, well aware that his child was now into the world.

"I'm a father," he whispered to Carly, tears brimming in his eyes. She reached up and wiped one with the pad of her thumb to no avail. Before long, their tears were mixed together as he held her next to his body. "I'm a father."

"You already were," she murmured back, kissing his cheek, his lips, his eyelids. "And now, you get to be a father again. I know that this going to work out, Jase, I can just feel it. This baby is going to be fine."

"I love you so much," he whimpered, completely unaware of anyone else in the world except her. "I have always loved you and the boys more than anything, and now, we have another child in our family. This child is going to have so much love that they will never have to know a single moment of loneliness."

"You're an amazing man."

"Your optimism inspires me."

"Your faith in me makes it easy to believe that anything is possible, Jase," she smiled. "After all, I finally got you."

Looking back toward the door, Nikolas sat next to his brother. "I wonder what's going on in there. I can't stand this waiting. I just want to see her."

"Elizabeth is going to be fine because I need her to be fine. She is our family. She is our insides," Lucky said without looking at him.

Dillon sat next to a very stoic Lulu. She was eerily calm, her eyes frozen to the door just like her brother's. A silence settled over the room again, and minutes quickly spread into an hour. Finally, Patrick Drake appeared before them again. "Lucky, I need to speak with you in private."

Lucky nodded and glanced at Jason. Following the doctor into a private room, he was relieved to see Elizabeth asleep in a bed just inside the operating room. "Well?"

"Elizabeth is fine. From what I can tell, she should make a full recovery," he revealed happily. "The next 24 hours are critical but I don't foresee any complications. She woke up briefly just to reiterate your earlier wishes."

"What about the baby?"

"Let me bring Jason in," he told him. "Since you are still Elizabeth's husband, you both should probably be present legally. If you're both comfortable with it, I'd like to tell you at the same time."

"Of course," Lucky permitted. He drummed his hands on the metal table nervously, keeping his gaze fixated on Liz. Patrick returned and quickly explained her situation. Then, finally, he brought the conversation back to the baby.

"Well?" Jason asked expectantly.

"Your baby is alive," Patrick explained. "There were complications, so he is in the neonatal unit. We are monitoring him very closely. He is unable to breathe on his own, and we have to carefully watch his blood levels. For right now, he can't have any visitors, but you can visit the nursery. I wanted to give you a chance to look first before inviting the rest of the family."

Lucky turned to Jason. "You go with Carly first," he insisted. "Whenever you are done, Nikolas and I will go to see him. Congratulations, Jason. Being a father to a baby is the most blessed gift, and to have Elizabeth as a mother, this child has an amazing start."

"Thank you," he replied, all bad feelings evaporating between them. "I can't wait to tell Carly. Can you take care of everyone else?"

"Of course," he nodded. "Go. Go see your son."

Everyone, minus Carly and Jason, waited for Lucky's explanation. Translating Patrick's technical jargon, he filled them in on what he knew. Nikolas asked to look in on her and asked Emily to accompany him. The nurses expected her to be awake within a few minutes, and the Cassadine prince was going to be the first one Elizabeth would see. Amongst all the hugs, everyone was consumed with relief and joy. Audrey left to call Lucas to give him the good word while Luke took Tracey home for a much needed rest.

"Do you want to stay longer?" Dillon asked.

She looked at her husband. While they would always be her family, he was her true family now. He had been here all day, supporting her in the way that she needed. He deserved to know how much she appreciated. "Take me home."

Hours later, Lulu crept from their bed. It was dark, somewhere in the absolute middle of the night. A tiny sliver of silver moon cast a glow through the translucent curtains, shining only the slightest light around the bedroom. She gazed at the water below, losing herself in the placid cresting of every small wave. Turning back, she smiled fondly at her husband. His entire body was covered with only a throw, his calf sneaking out from beneath the blanket. Even a single glimpse at his caramel skin was enough to cause her stomach to flutter. Inside and out, he truly was beautiful.

"I love you," she whispered, hoping that it was enough to wake him from his content but deep slumber. As always, her words drew a reply, as muffled as it may have been. Turning over, he peeled back the blanket to invite her inside his warm cocoon. "I love you, Dillon. I know I say it a lot, but I don't think I say it nearly enough."

"Watching Nikolas and Lucky go through everything today, it only reminded me of how close I came to losing you," he retorted. "I want to make every day with you count. We are so lucky to have each other."

"Dillon, I want to have a child with you. I know we're young, and I'm not sure that I'm ready…but watching them tonight, seeing the joy on Jason's face, I want to see that same look in your eyes. I want to make our past count."

"Lu, are you sure?"

"As sure as I am that I love you," she answered confidently. "Let's start a family, Dillon. We have so much love to share, it'd be a shame to limit it to just us. I want to have all of this. I want to have everything with you."

"I want that, too, more than anything," he grinned excitedly. "Let's do this."


	49. Chapter 49

After a long day at General Hospital, there was nothing Patrick liked more than coming home to his beautiful wife and best friend, Robin. Nothing about their relationship had ever been conventional, but their marriage was surprisingly normal. Despite their crazy, mixed-up childhoods, they had managed to build this whole lives for themselves. And now, Robin was going to do the unthinkable and bring their child into the world. Watching Elizabeth Webber's family go through the motions of having her life hanging in the balance, it only made him appreciate their good fortune that much more.

"Hi, honey," Robin called from the cozy kitchen across the apartment. "I'm a bad wife, I ordered those chicken enchiladas that you love so much from Kelly's. I just didn't feel up to cooking anything. Besides, you're probably tired of pasta."

"I'd eat anything you made," he replied affectionately as he jogged into the kitchen. Robin was turned around toward the sink, sorting through the takeout cartons. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck, caramel skin barely visible above her white gauzy collar. Slipping his arms around her stomach, he tried to envision what it would be like eight months from now. Pressing himself into her back, he squeezed her against him. "Elizabeth had her baby."

"I know," she smiled over her shoulder, gazing up at him. "And I also know what is going on in your mind, Patrick. I wish that I could promise you that everything is going to be fine, but I can't. I just have to do everything I can to keep our baby safe and pray that is more than enough."

"You're going to be an amazing mother," he whispered into her ear. "It was pretty amazing when the baby was finally born. I really thought we were going to lose one or both of them. I can't imagine having to make the choice that Lucky had to make. And Nikolas and Jason were in this very awkward place, putting Lucky in the middle. I don't envy having to choose between the man that loves her and the father of the child."

"Thankfully," Robin smiled, "you happen to fit all three. You are the father of my child, the love of my life and my biggest confidant. I don't know what I would do without you, but I know that I wouldn't be doing this."

Running his fingers through her long, silky strands, he took in the scent so unique to Robin. "I can't believe that we're here. When you first met me, you could barely stand me. Looking back at the man I was, I could barely stand myself. There was no way I thought that I would ever settle down this early, certainly not with you. But then you came along and took over my life."

"I just pushed my way in there, didn't I?" she giggled knowingly. "You were so scared when you first realized you were in love with me. I remember staring up at you, your jaw almost to the floor. I couldn't believe that I had let myself fall for you."

"You coming into my life was the best thing that could have happened. You gave me this entire life that I never even knew I wanted. I don't think that I would have figured it out without you. It had to be you, both literally and figuratively."

"And now, we're going to be parents. Two former doctors so wrapped up in their work that they didn't have time for a real relationship. There was this cad surgeon who was too afraid of commitment and too in love with himself to ever be with a real woman."

Patrick scoffed sarcastically. "You were this uptight, rigid researcher who busied herself with charts and numbers so that she didn't have to live her life. You hid in your work, too afraid to put yourself out there in case you got hurt all over again."

"We changed each other," she realized aloud. "All this time, I was thinking that you changed my life. Other times, it was like that I had changed your life. I had never put the two together before."

Tracing his thumb over her round cheek and full lips, he shared in her mutual journey. "I can't wait until I get to see you hold that little baby. It's going to be the best day of my life."

Elizabeth sat up in the hospital bed after a few hours of sleep, glad to see that only one visitor inhabited her room. "How long have you been here?"

"However long it was, it wasn't long enough," Lucky smiled, taking her outstretched hand. "Nikolas wanted to go check on Spencer, so I told him that I would stay with you. Neither of us wanted you to wake up alone. I know that Patrick was in earlier to talk to you, but you were asleep by the time either of us got back. How are you feeling now?"

"I'm really tired," she answered honestly. "How is the baby?"

"He's doing well the last time I checked," he told her. "Jason and Carly were in there for awhile, but Bobbie convinced them to go home. Jason said that he would be back in the morning to see you both."

"I'm sorry, Lucky," she apologized. "I know that this hasn't been easy on you."

"From where I stand, you're the one who had it hard, Elizabeth," he assured her. "I've only done the same things you would do for me."

"How's Cam?"

"He's sleeping at Audrey's. I talked to him just before he went to sleep. He made me promise that I would bring him over in the morning. After he asked a question about the baby, the only thing he could talk about was his mommy. He can't wait to see you."

"I miss him already," she remarked with a yawn. Lucky's cell phone rang out, breaking the comfortable silence between them. He looked at her apologetically before she nodded. "It's okay, answer it."

"It's work," he explained on his way out the door. As he swung it open, he found Emily waiting in the hallway with a soft blanket in her hands. Putting his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone, he kissed Emily briefly but fully on the lips. "I'll be back in just a minute."

"Okay," she retorted dismissively, her mind already focused on her best friend. Closing the door quietly, she grinned at Elizabeth. "How are you feeling?"

"Better now that you're here," she smiled back. "I'm so happy that you're here. It's been nice having the guys around, but they're not you. I was afraid that I was going to have to go through this without my best friend."

"Never," Emily promised, perching on the end of Liz's bed. "I brought you this. Cameron helped me pick it out last week when we were at Wyndham's. I kept trying to show him different things, but he insisted on this blanket."

"It's exactly like the one that Grams bought for Cam when he was born."

"Knock, knock," Lulu called from the door. Pushing it open with her hip, she pulled a love struck Dillon behind her. A goofy grin on his face explained the events of the past couple hours without any words. Elizabeth and Emily exchanged a knowing look. "I just wanted to stop by and see how my sister-in-law was doing."

"That seems to be the question of the evening," Liz retorted. "I'm doing pretty well, and from the look on Dillon's face, I think you can say the same."

Crimson crept up Dillon's throat. "I think I'm going to go find your brother or something," he told Lulu, brushing a kiss over her face. "I'll be back."

"That is so cute," Emily giggled once they were gone.

Lulu bounced over and sat next to Emily. "I know, right? Speaking of which, I actually kind of have an announcement."

"What now?" Elizabeth asked with a sly smile.

"We decided tonight that we want to try to have a baby."

"Lulu, are you sure?" Emily asked with concern. "That's a pretty big step."

"As hard as tonight was, I know that Elizabeth will always say that it was worth it," Lulu explained. "I think we all learned a little something, but I think what I walked away with was the fact that I don't want to miss out on having a child. The choice I made last summer was the right one, and I don't regret it anymore. However, I know that if I don't have a baby with Dillon now, I might."

"Our little sister is growing up," Emily teased, sliding her arm around Lulu's shoulder. "Congratulations, Lulu, I'm really happy for you."

"Thank you," she said carefully before shifting her gaze to Liz. "And I know that this is a long way off, but I want to ask you something. Now, I am assuming that you are going to ask Em to be the godmother, considering she is your best friend and Jason's sister. Well, I was hoping that you would consider being the godmother of my baby."

"You're not even pregnant."

"No, not yet, but I want to start this off the right way. I want to know that we already have a support system in tact. I love you both, so I hope that you're not mad, Em."

"Of course not," she promised. "In fact, I have an idea. Since you asked Liz and hopefully she is going to ask me, I propose that if I ever have a baby, you become the godmother. Besides, I have a feeling your brother would insist on it."

"He better!" she cried "So, wait, you plan on having a baby with Lucky?"

"He's always wanted to have another baby," Liz acknowledged.

It was Emily's turn to blush. "The thought has definitely crossed my mind."

"I'm really glad that you're together," Lulu told her.

"So am I," Elizabeth echoed, drawing her friend's gaze to her. "And I'm glad that I found Nikolas."

"Me, too," Lulu and Emily said in unison, eliciting laughter from all three women.

Outside the room, Lucky shoved his phone back in his pocket just as Nikolas came back around the corner. A trio of red roses in his hand, he clapped his brother on the back. "Cam is sleeping well. Audrey said to call her in the morning."

"Thanks, how was Spencer?"

"Sleeping like a baby," he answered. "I can't believe how big he is getting. Looking at Liz's baby reminds me how far we've come in the last year. He's this whole person now."

"Hey, guys,' Dillon announced as he strode up behind them, a carrier of coffee cups in hand. Handing one to each of them, he peered through the window. "Look at them."

Lucky looked at his ex-wife, his sister and his girlfriend. "There is no one more beautiful."

"Which one?" Nikolas asked.

"Does it really matter?" Dillon replied.

"Not at all," Lucky answered.

"Not even a little bit," Nikolas acknowledged. "We're lucky. We get to have all three of them in our lives. We get to see their smiles, hear their laughter, love them. I can't imagine what my world would be like without them."

"Lulu and I decided we are going to try to have a baby," Dillon announced without looking up. "I'm not telling you to get a lecture or advice. She's your sister, and she is going to need your support. This was a big choice for her."

"Judgment has never been my style," Nikolas said. "Besides, I've never seen my baby sister look any happier than she does right now. Her eyes, her smile, her entire body – there is nothing but joy there."


	50. Chapter 50

And just like that, life began to change for the residents of Port Charles, New York. Who knew that when a group of heartless men stormed the Metrocourt Hotel, there would come so much love and happiness? Four couples that didn't exist before the hostage situation became some of the strongest the beloved city had ever seen. The results were unpredictable but predestined. Things had worked out exactly as they were supposed to be. Best friends fell apart and came together again. Old loves found a way to keep on loving but in an entirely different way. People previously scared of taking even the smallest step ended up taking the biggest leap of all.

Exactly four weeks had passed since Elizabeth had given birth to her son in the darkest of circumstances. After a two-week period in the hospital, both mother and son had been released without any complication. Surrounded by their family and friends, they had been happy to go home to Wyndamere. Jason and Carly had been by their side along with Nikolas. Once unimaginable, the two women had come to some sort of an understanding for the sake of Jason and his son. Elizabeth made peace with the fact that Carly would be a part of her child's life for even she had to admit that the blonde was a good mother. Carly had accepted that Liz's life would forever be entwined with Jason's but only as Jake's mother. What she had said months ago remained true – it didn't matter, Carly was the one who had his heart.

"We'll bring him home tonight right at six," Carly promised as she took the baby carrier happily from Elizabeth. It was the first time the nurse had allowed Jason to take Jake for the entire day. It had been a big step for both of them, but Carly had promised that she would help. The boys were excited to be able to spend the day with their new step-brother, which Michael had pointedly said was in name only. Jake was his brother just as much as Morgan. A look of mutual adoration had passed between Carly and Elizabeth.

"That sounds great," Nikolas said from behind Elizabeth, resting his hand on the small of her back. "Lucky and Em are going to drop of Cam around the same time."

"It sounds like you are going to have the whole house to yourself," Jason smiled. "It will probably be nice to have some quiet. You might be able to get some rest."

"Spencer is going to be here for a few more hours before Mike picks him up," Elizabeth explained. "He's pretty excited to spend the day with his grandson. Nikolas and I are going to go for a ride this afternoon. I haven't had the chance to do anything fun since the baby was born."

"Well, enjoy your day," Carly said as Jason slung the diaper bag over his shoulder. She smiled up at her fiancée, secretly loving how well he wore the paternal role. "Tell your mommy goodbye, Jake."

"Bye, Jake," Elizabeth cooed, bending down to kiss the top of her son's downy head. Nikolas followed suit, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Call me if there are any problems."

"There won't be," Jason proclaimed. "Try to relax and enjoy your day. Don't worry."

"Thanks, I'll try," she said before closing the door behind them. Turning around, she managed to smile bravely at Nikolas briefly before her face faltered. A single tear rolled down her rosy cheek. It was always hard to leave your child with someone else for the first time. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," he comforted, wiping the tear away with the back of his hand. "I love you, Elizabeth, you never have to apologize to me for the way that you feel. If you want to cry, cry."

"I don't want to cry," she insisted. "Instead, I want you to take me upstairs and make love to me. This house is empty for the first time in months, and who knows when we'll get the same chance? We can be as loud as we want."

"Did I mention that I love you?" he chuckled as he scooped her into his arms.

"A million times," she giggled.

Turning serious, he gazed down into her eyes. "I want to be your husband."

"It's just a formality at this point," she retorted, "but I want to be your wife."

"So, you want to?"

"Yeah, I want to," she laughed as they kissed again, sealing their engagement.

At the Spencer house, Emily was busy in the kitchen pouring chocolate chip batter into the waffle maker. Cameron sat on the counter beside her, carefully watching the light and waiting until it turned green. Lucky was setting the table, pulling plates and juice glasses from the cabinet. It was an easy routine, something they had become accustomed to over the past few weeks. As he laid the last fork next to the plate, Lucky looked through the window into the kitchen. That beautiful woman and incredible little boy – that was his life.

He watched them interact for a few moments. Cameron giggled as Emily accidentally spilled a bit of batter on her wrist. Licking it off, she turned to him. "You think that's funny?"

Cameron nodded Emily dug her fingertips into his sides, sending him writhing on the granite countertop. "Stop, stop, stop!" he pleaded.

Finally relenting, she grinned at him devilishly. "That will teach you to laugh at me."

"Is it almost time to eat?" Lucky asked as he breezed into the room.

"This is the last one," Emily answered.

Lucky picked Cameron up from the counter and brought him over to the sink. "Wash up," he ordered, helping his son lather his hands with the peach-scented soap. As Emily waited for the waffle maker to finish its last cycle, she watched her boyfriend interact with his son. That amazing man and his wonderful son – they were now her life.

While Cameron sat down at the table, Lucky helped Emily carry the food into the dining room. Before they ate, Lucky asked his son to give the blessing. Bowing his little head, he folded his tiny hands. "Dear God, please bless the food we are about to eat. Bless Mommy and Daddy and Jake. Bless Aunt Emily and Uncle Nikolas and Spencer. Bless Auntie Lulu and Uncle Dillon and Grandpa Luke and Grams and Grandma Laura. Bless Aunt Bobbie…"

"Wrap it up," Lucky told his son, well aware that he would list everyone in his life if he wasn't reigned in.

"Bless us all. Amen," Cam concluded.

"Thank you, Cam," Emily remarked.

"Guess what, Daddy?"

"What, Cam?" 

"I'm very lucky because I have a mommy and a daddy and an Emily and a Nikolas that all love me," he said knowingly. "I also have a baby Jake and Spencer. I get to live with two whole families."

"You are lucky, Cam," Lucky acknowledged. "How would you like it if Emily lived with us all the time forever?"

"That'd be okay," he decided before biting into his waffle.

Turning his gaze toward Emily, his eyes sparkled. "What do you think?"

Shrugging, she tried to match her tone to Cam's. "That'd be okay."

Lucky looked over at Cam and whispered, "Now."

Grinning, he jumped up and toddled to the kitchen. Coming back with a little box, he took his father's hand and pulled him over in front of Emily. Both of them dropped to one knee as Cameron held out a box to her. "Will you marry us?" Covering her mouth with her hand, Emily started to cry immediately. She couldn't get the words out, only managing to accept with a sob-ridden nod. "Yay! She said yes, Daddy. Emily is going to marry us."

Lucky grinned at his son and then at his fiancée. Leaning over his son, he captured her mouth wholeheartedly. Pulling apart, he scooped Cam up between them and wrapped them both in a hug. "That'd be okay," he thought to himself. "It'll be okay."

Stretching lazily in their bed, Robin curled up in the nook of Patrick's arm and languished in the fact that she didn't have to get up if she didn't want to. In fact, for the first time in far too long, they had managed to get the same day off. It had taken a bit of trading around in the rotation and Patrick would be worked a double shift to make up for it, but they both agreed that it was worth it. "This is nice."

"This is more than nice," Patrick mumbled without opening his eyes. His hands blindly new the route of her body, from the gentle slope of her nose to the smooth curve of her hip to the slight roundness that had formed at her belly. Her fingers met his to become splayed over her abdomen. The skin was starting to stretch slightly as the baby continued to grown inside her womb.

"I don't feel like I have any complaint in the world," she murmured. "I don't think that I have ever been this happy in my entire life. Everything has finally really come together for us. There are no loose ends, no unanswered questions."

"Dr. Scorpio, has the cynic become the optimist?"

"The optimist was always in there," she noted. "We just didn't let her out too often. Now, it seems that she has overpowered the cynic and buried her deep somewhere that she'll never be able to see the light of day."

"Oh, I know that my faithful cynic will return eventually," Patrick teased. "I wouldn't want her to stay away too long. She is the version of you that I originally fell in love with. You invaded my life and challenged me. I wouldn't want to lose the part of you that I initially fell for."

"Oh, so you prefer the cynic?"

"I prefer all of you," he answered. "While I may have fallen in love with the cynic, it's the optimist that keeps me hooked. I love that there are so many versions of you. We can banter, we can make love, we can be best friends and we can be adversaries."

"Well, Dr. Drake, that may be the most perfect thing you have ever said to me," she cooed. I can't believe that in a few short months, we are going to be parents."

"Four to be exact," he said, counting on his fingers. Moving his hands back to her stomach, he tried to envision what it would be. "Do you think it's going to be a boy or a girl?"

"It doesn't matter," she decided. "I just want a healthy baby. I've been thinking about names, though."

"Oh? What do you have in mind?"

"I'd like to name it Noah if it's a boy in honor of your father," she declared. "I'd like the middle name to be Anna if it's a girl for my mom."

"How about Noah Stone?" Patrick asked. "

"Noah Stone," she smiled. "Are you sure? Sonny already named Morgan after him so he has been honored, if that is what you are thinking."

"Robin, that is our son's name, I'm sure."

"Well, for a girl, I think Madelyn Anna Drake would be perfect, then."

"My mother's name was Mattie," he told her.

"I know," she replied. "We'll call her Maddy for short."

"I love it," he whispered. "I love you."

"Noah Stone or Madeline Anna," she repeated. "What do you think, baby?" The baby kicked in response, a first for their child. Patrick turned to Robin in wonderment, his eyes as wide as saucers. "I think the baby likes the names."

"That was amazing."

"It certainly is," she agreed. "Our life certainly is."

Lulu sat next on the bed to Dillon nervously, her foot twitching in beat with the timer. "How much longer?" she asked for the third time in thirty seconds. These three minutes seemed to be the longest of her entire life.

"Just a minute longer," he promised her soothingly, reaching over to take her hand. The plastic applicator sat on the between in front of them, teasing them with news that had the potential to change their lives. "It's almost time."

"I'm scared," she revealed. "This could be it."

"If it's not," he reminded her, "we will keep trying. We have all the time in the world."

"I just want this so much. We both do."

"Our baby will come when the timing is right, Lu," he told her. "Even if it's not now, you have to trust that it will come. I don't want you to be disappointed if we're not pregnant."

"I will be no matter what, Dil. You know that," she retorted. "Thanks for the we."

"I think we have proven that we're in this together, Lu. Not just this pregnancy but this life. No matter what happens, I want you to remember that you and I – our family – come first."

"I remember," she avowed as the timer chirped.

"Well, it's time."

Lulu picked up the applicator and clutched it in her hand without turning it over. She felt a sudden surge of confidence sweep over her body. "I don't need to look at it. We're pregnant," she announced. "This is our baby."

He turned, looked into her eyes and knew that she was right. "You're having our baby."

She nodded against him as she leaned into kiss him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He felt the plastic applicator brush against his skin just as she devoured his lips, taking all of him in hungrily. Getting lost in the moment, he finally felt like he had all of her. He knew that he would never lose Lulu to the dark side. She knew that he would never run away like her father. They truly were in this life together, and it was perhaps the only thing they could trust in the entire world. As they pulled apart, she brought the applicator back between them. Dillon reached wordlessly down and turned it over in her palm. Two lines meant yes.

"I'm having our baby."

_El Fin._

Thanks to everyone who has relentlessly read and reviewed this story over the past several months. It has been a long journey, one that I value above all else. For my usual readers, I do have another DiLu story planned, but it will not be a follow-up to where this one ends. This story has run its course, and I hope you all enjoyed the ride. Cheers.


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